


SG-1 Becomes Regis

by Akinasky



Series: Gate to Vannas [2]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Children of Characters, F/M, M/M, Magical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-25
Updated: 2014-06-25
Packaged: 2018-02-06 04:17:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 54,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1844101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akinasky/pseuds/Akinasky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Starting out with two new babies, here we go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Small Spaces

Living in the spacious apartment that gave the team a shared kitchen and living room but private bedrooms had been perfect when they first arrived here in the valley but now with the babies, Daniel and Jack were already discussing the idea of finding a new place outside the castle to live in. This gave everyone pause, Zarkina, the queen of these magical people worried that if they were outside the castle then they would be vulnerable to attack.

As of right now, Zale and Zada were sleeping comfortably in the family’s shared bedroom and Jacob was asleep in Teal’c and Sam’s bedroom while the four adults sat on the couch and comfy chairs with Zarkina and Sir William standing before them. Daniel had tucked himself close to Jack’s side on the couch while Sam was sitting on the other end with Teal’c standing at her shoulder. Sir William was standing still while Zarkina was pacing around the room in front of them.

“You have only been here about six months, you have been kidnapped and almost killed on more than one occasion, many of my people are still leery of you and you want to just leave the safety of the castle?”

“That’s the idea, Your Majesty,” Jack stated calmly.

“Jack,” Zarkina chided, “You have Daniel and the kids to think about. You have to understand that they are going to need protection and you cannot always be the one to give it. My people have abilities that you cannot protect against and a way of life that isn’t like the one you left behind.”

Jack moved to stand but Daniel wouldn’t let him, he knew his husband wasn’t going to appreciate the implication that Jack couldn’t protect what was his. Daniel and the kids were Jack’s family and the Colonel would do anything to protect them.

“You think I can’t protect my family?” Jack demanded of the woman before him.

“I think that you will not understand what to protect them from, give me a little more time. I need to make sure that my people understand that you are protected by me. You live in a warrior society now, some one is going to want to fight you and you will not be able to say no, also they are not trying to kill you. Fighting newcomers, to find out if you are strong enough to stay, is a part of Vannas society.”

“Figure out quickly what we need to do to start making a place for ourselves in this world. I cannot be one of those people to just ride the coat tails of another.”

Zarkina nodded slowly, “Just give me some time, the babies should stay close to Erica for the time being anyway, we will look into new lodging and I will make sure you can be safe outside the doors of the castle.”

Jack gave a singular nod of his head and watched as the Queen headed for the door, Sir William stood there, and looking down at SG1 while his wife just continued out the door like him staying behind was a normal thing.

“Yes?” Jack asked, annoyed at the man’s silent presence. William seemed to be an ever-present annoyance to Jack because the young man thought terrorizing the Colonel was incredibly amusing most of the time. William also was incredibly in love with Zarkina and he believed that SG1 created an extra layer of danger for his wife and he didn’t like that at all.

“Jack, you and your team have indeed become integral parts of our society with your unique knowledge base and skill sets but you also bring a new level of danger because Zarcorp wants you. I need you to listen to Akina and understand that she does this not only for your protection but also for the protection of our people who should be her first concern.”

“You think we are forcing her to pick between your people and us?” Jack demanded, anger rising in his voice.

“I think she is struggling with the choice but I think that she wants you to be among her people. You forcing yourself out of the castle before the people are ready put you squarely back into the ‘other’ category. She cannot force the others to accept you as Vannas, or even Regis without a little more time.”

“Regis?” Daniel asked, not knowing the word.

“Its what we call people without Magis but have become one of our people, or have magical abilities without the symbiot.”

“That happens?” Daniel asked, “I thought the whole point of Vannas people having powers is because they have a Magis symbiot.”

“Regis is normally people born of this world but capable of more, your children will be Regis Vannas but you are on the cusp of becoming Regis, a protected person within the Vannas society.”

“Are you saying that despite the fact that we aren’t automatically protected, our children are?” Jack asked.

William nodded, “Of course, they are born of power as well as the fact that no Vannas in their right mind would ever do anything to harm a child in the Valley.”

“You need time?” Jack asked and William nodded, “We need a little more space. Maybe we can compromise in some way.”

William smiled, “I think we can find a way to make this work for us both.”

With that, the King of the Vannas walked out of the apartment, leaving the four alone one more. Daniel reached over and pulled Jack close enough to kiss him on the cheek, “You are such a good man, capable of playing nice even when you don’t want to.”

Sam chuckled at that, tucking some hair behind her ear, as it was just barely long enough to do so no. Teal’c tilted his head then turned to walk back to their bedroom, opening the door to release the sound of their son shouting his annoyance at something. Daniel kissed Jack once more before standing and moving to the door to his bedroom and opening it only to find Zale and Zada were still sleeping. That left him to move back to the living room where Sam and Jack were sitting silently and awkwardly. Even after the last six months, they could not seem to let go of their military training with one another.

It was interesting but Daniel hoped they would be able to find a way past it to become friends seen as how there was a good chance they would always be separate from the Vannas people.

“Shall we have some lunch before the babies decide they need to be awake for the next couple hours?”

Sam nodded, “Shall we cook together?” she asked Daniel.

Daniel grinned and skipped into the kitchen area with Sam grinning as she followed him. Jack moved to watch them as they tossed together a salad and a few other things for a meal, some sandwiches and freshly squeezed juice which was all set on the table about the time Teal’c returned from the bedroom, Jacob must have been asleep because the baby wasn’t with him. Daniel put a plate down in front of Jack before he sat down next to his handsome husband and they enjoyed some quiet mealtime together before the chaos of babies and jobs got to them once more.


	2. Winter's Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More drama for Daniel.

Daniel watched as his students packed up their journals and writing utensils. After the chaos of getting Jack home and keeping himself alive, then getting the children settled, he was glad to be back to a normal schedule. He taught a language class, starting with Latin since it is one of the many languages English used when being created. He also taught an Earth history class and one specifically about ancient cultures. Every single class had a waiting list and he taught one section multiple times a week to get to as many of the Vannas who wished to learn. He had never known what it was like to be a beloved intellectual until he opened the Stargate and even then most everyone treated him like a favored pet, one that should be ignored most of the time.

Here, in the future, he was beloved by his students and sought out for information most of the day. Jack constantly had to suffer interruptions if they ate in the public eating area of the castle, which is why they ate in their apartment most of the time.

Daniel loved the attention most of the time but sometimes he wished only Jack knew his worth like before, then it was special connection that they had always carried under the surface of their snarky comments to one another.

“Dr. Jackson, have you finished for the day?” one of his students asked and Daniel looked up from packing away his teaching notes. He smiled at the young girl; she was around a little younger than the royal twins. She had long red hair and dark brown eyes.

“Hey Winter, how is studying going? Are you able to stay caught up?” he asked. The girl had continually come to talk to him about her worries for the class and her ability to retain the information enough to use the language in any cohesive way.

“Well since you ask, I was hoping you could spare a little extra time for me? Maybe before the next class, and we can work on a few parts I am having problems with.”

He frowned, “You should ask one of the others in class, maybe Kirkan or Harvard Greer, they are a wonderful grasp of the language so far.”

“You do not understand the dynamic of some of our people, there is a lot of bad blood between myself and many of my classmates, I would rather speak with you about my troubles.”

Daniel sighed, he had noticed that the others treated Winter badly but did not understand the reaction. She seemed like a sweet woman but he’d not had the time to ask any of the other students about the prejudice. “I need to speak with Jack before I make this decision.”

Winter smiled coyly, “Why? Are you not allowed to have friends outside your team?”

“You are a young woman asking for private time outside of class, I cannot make that decision without speaking to my husband about it. You will have to accept this otherwise there is no possibility of any tutoring.”

“I understand then,” she smiled and touched his hand slightly and so quick that Daniel had no time to pull away and before he could determine whether it was an accident or on purpose, she was leaving the class room.

He shoved all of his belongings into his bag and headed out the door as well, coming up on Kirkan Greer at the door. He was leaning against the wall casually, “Kirkan?”

“Dr. Jackson, you have to understand that Winter is not someone to be trusted lightly.”

“And this is your business why?” Daniel asked, there were a few Vannas who had taken a Jack-like obsession with keeping Daniel safe and believing that the archeologist was completely incapable of protecting himself.

“She likes to mettle in the affairs of others, she will do anything to hurt Zarkina and I would hope not to let her use you as a weapon.”

Daniel nodded and started walking towards the main pathway, which would lead him back to the castle. Kirkan followed, soon to be joined by his little brother, Greer who at Daniel’s best guess was about three years old not that his intelligence and abilities would agree. He had already picked up on much of what his older brothers said in class and knew what they meant. It was quite extraordinary even in the Vannas standards.

“I have been intrigued by your brother’s name,” Daniel asked, changing the subject without Kirkan’s permission.

“Harvard or Alvaro?” Kirkan asked curiously.

“No, Greer, I had come to understand that Greer was your surname.”

“Greer is not biologically my brother though I feel as though I have raised him. He has only been gifted into our safe keeping until the parents are ready to have him back.”

“Who are his parents then?” Daniel asked, getting wrapped up in the mystery of it.

Kirkan shook his head, “We don’t know, my brothers were not given that information and my parents believe it is not time yet. For now he understands that his parents did not know he was taken from them, this is not about them not loving him and on top of it the Greer family has loved him as their own since he was born.”

“Interesting,” Daniel responded even as they came even with castle. Kirkan glared at him in amused annoyance.

“You did that on purpose, so I could not sway your decision about Winter,” he postulated.

Daniel grinned and touched the side of his nose, leaned down and touched Greer’s head gently. Looking into those green eyes that had a clear line of silver in the edge of the iris, he wondered about the possibility of knowing exactly who this child belonged to. With that thought and a grin from the small child, he walked inside the castle.

~~~

Winter knew she couldn’t expect the man to fall into her bosom but she had never had to work so hard to get someone’s attention as she had with Daniel Jackson. She knew that he was married to a man, that they had children but all she needed was for him to drop his guard enough for her to plant the seed of doubt in his spouse, as well as infect his mind with her spell. She knew it would work, it had been used on her sister-by-marriage Zarkina on one occasion to the almost destruction of the queen. If she could infect Daniel then she could get him to leave the island with her and right into the hands of Zarranth’s minions and she would be given the power she needed to get the throne as she should have always had.

She headed off for her home outside of the castle, having been disinvited from its grounds long ago. Winter was determined to use the naiveté of the human historian to get back the rights she’d had stolen from her when her brother decided to return home with Akina years ago so she could become queen.


	3. Jack's Theory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jealous Jack ;)

“You really think she needs your help to learn Latin, Daniel? She’s trying to get to you for some reason, maybe to use you against the queen, maybe she just wants your hot body I don’t know, all I really know is that I have no intention of allowing this girl to have you all to herself. Set up a small tutoring session with more than one student, I don’t care but don’t be alone with her.”

Daniel rolled his eyes even as he looked down at his daughter, into her dark brown eyes, ones that she shared with her Daddy Jack. Zale had blue eyes like Daniel but both children had taken on that incredibly dark hair of their surrogate mothers, something to remember them by though Daniel didn’t think he would ever forget the women who made it possible for Jack and he to have these two beautiful children they were able to call their own. Jack was feeding Zale, and looking pleased to be doing so which made Daniel sigh with relief. Since they brought the children home and started caring for them full time without the twins, Jack had been reticent to touching Zale as if the little boy was touching a deep seated fear and sadness about losing Charlie before Jack joined Daniel going through the Stargate.

Daniel loved both of their children but he’d been so worried when Jack had been unwilling to touch Zale. Now he was talking to the little boy, whispering sweet nothings that his hard-ass Colonel seemed to be so good at, reputation be damned.

“You’re staring at me, Danny,” Jack muttered.

“Just happy to see you holding your son finally,” Daniel muttered in return even as he kissed his daughter’s stomach making her squirm in happiness.

“What?” Jack asked, his voice breaking a little.

Daniel smiled a little at his husband, “You think I don’t know you well enough to notice that you weren’t touching Zale. I can never understand the loss you suffered but we made the choice together to have these kids and I am glad you are finding some separation from Charlie.”

Jack frowned and moved to sit next to Daniel on the couch. He tucked Zale against his shoulder and moved his other arm across Daniel’s shoulder and held him close. “Danny, I never wanted to hurt you or Zale, all I can say is that I will do everything in my power to hold both these children of ours and let them know that I love them both so much it hurts sometimes. I miss Charlie and I would do anything I need to keep this family safe but I do understand that Zale and Zada are not Charlie.”

Daniel sighed, “I know Jack, these children and you plus Sam and Teal’c are my family and I will do anything for you. I understand that it took time and you didn’t hurt me with your distance.”

“And Zale?” Jack asked as they both looked down at the little boy cuddled into Jack’s shoulder, fingers grasping gently at Jack’s shirt and his snuffling breaths breaking the silence a little at a time. He was a picture of contentment.

“I think he knows how much you love him,” Daniel said with a gentle smile.

Jack smiled in return, leaning in and taking Daniel’s lips in a deep kiss. Tongues tangle even as arms held children firmly but gently then Zada decided that she wanted to be the center of attention. She fussed and cried out gently, her little baby cried bringing her daddies apart as they both readjusted holds on children. Daniel pressed his forehead against Jack’s to keep from retaking his irresistible mouth.

“She is going to be a handful, I can tell already,” Jack said with a gently chuckle.

“Of course, she shares your DNA,” Daniel returned.

“Har har,” Jack responded without much humor.

“So returning to our prior conversation, you think I cannot keep myself safe from one girl? You think I am going to be the weak link for us and Zarkina?”

“Really Daniel, you know that’s not what I meant. I know you always see the best in everyone and that tends to get you into trouble. You have always been the heart of the team, Sam is the brain and Teal’c and I are the brawn. You must be protected.”

“I can protect myself!” Daniel reiterated sharply.

Zada squirmed in protest; Daniel walked her into the bedroom and settled her into the bassinet. Jack did the same with Zale, because of the children’s abilities the daddies refused to have arguments in the same room with them, let alone while holding them. The empathic ability meant that Daniel and Jack had to be very aware of their emotions. Daniel walked back out of the bedroom and Jack followed, closing the door on the snuffling babies.

“Danny don’t do this,” Jack pleaded gently which made Daniel madder, like he had no right being angry with this.

“No, you are going to have to decide if you want a husband in this relationship or another child to protect.”

Jack glared at him, “That is not what I’m doing!”

“Yes you are! I am sick of you coddling me as well as everyone else I come into contact with. I don’t understand everyone’s need to make sure I’m safe.”

“Because you tend to get kidnapped, hurt or lusted after by everyone you meet!” Jack’s voice rose in volume and they both could hear the whimpers through the bedroom door. 

Daniel glared back, “Even in the other room, you’re going to upset our children!”

“Dammit Daniel!” Jack hissed, lowering his voice a couple octaves even as he ran his hands through his hair and rubbed them back and forth. His pacing went on for a few seconds before flopped into one of the chairs, not daring to sit in the couch where Daniel was slouching with his arms crossed but that didn’t last long. As soon as Jack leaned down and placed his head in his hands, Daniel stood again to pace.

“Colonel Jack has spoken right? I am supposed to just feel bad that I made you sad and let you control my life. You get to make a choice, let me be a man and make mistakes. Let me be your husband and partner in life, I am a father now and I cannot be treated as a child, not by the one person who should believe in me.”

Jack looked up at him as Daniel stopped in front of his older husband. “I guess all this comes at the price of you getting into trouble, huh?”

Daniel rolled his eyes, “Jack, you’ve known me for a long time, when do I not get into trouble?”

Jack barked out a laugh but sobered immediately, “What if you get hurt? Die?”

And there is was, the fear that Jack lived with now that they were together. Daniel moved to sit on the small table that sat in the middle of the room, between the chairs and couch. He reached forward and took Jack’s hands in his gently. “Then you’ll be there to save me, or possibly mourn me but you have to continue for the twins from now on.”

Jack looked at Daniel, a shimmer in his eyes that made Daniel lean down and kiss the Colonel’s hand gently before looking up at him again, “I don’t want to mourn you anymore,” Jack responded. 

Daniel moved one hand to cup Jack’s cheek gently, “I will not allow you to die either. I will do anything to protect you and our children. This is a two-way street, this love we share. Now let me share it.”

The last words were whispered into Jack’s cheek and he couldn’t stop Jack as he reached out to pull Daniel into Jack’s lap. Daniel settled his legs over Jack’s and relaxed into the Colonel’s hold. 

“I will do anything to keep you, even if that means letting you do stupid things that make me yell at you after I save you.”

Daniel nodded against Jack’s shoulder. He didn’t understand what it was about knowing that love was Jack’s reason made it hard to stay made at him.

“We really need a bigger place, I don’t feel comfortable about making love to you when the babies are in the same room and there is no way we can do it out here when Sam and Teal’c could come back at anytime.” Jack was whispering into Daniel’s neck. The younger man grinned and kissed Jack’s cheek before he pulled back.

“Yeah handsome, that does sound like a problem. I need to decide what to do about Winter.”

Jack groaned, “That’s a great mood killer.”

“You can worry, you can mother hen but you do not get to decide my course of action.”

“Uh huh, you forgot. I get to save you when it all goes horribly wrong.”

“Yeah that too,” Daniel said.

Jack continued to hold Daniel around the waist but one hand slid up to his neck and pulled Daniel in for a fierce kiss. It was drawn out and beautifully simple. This wasn’t a kiss buried in passion, just love and contentment.

Daniel pulled back, “So you are sure that Winter is out to get me? To use me against Zarkina with her actions?”

“Pretty convinced on that, my love.”

“Ok, I will be cautious,” Daniel replied.

“Good man,” Jack said with a grin. Daniel rolled his eyes and with that they untangled themselves from each other and went to reclaim their children who were pleased to feel the love and no remnants of the previous conversation.

Daniel pretended that he was supposed to decide between trust and automatic judgment, instead focusing on telling Jack about his idea about the little boy named Greer and who he suspected his parents really were.

And Jack let him.


	4. Constant Supervision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and Jack fluffy goodness and Sam and Jack chatting

Jack watched as Daniel moved around their bedroom with Zale in his arms. Zada was comfortable lying on Daniel’s side of the bed with her head pressed against Jack’s thigh in a strange need to blot out the lights of the room. He didn’t understand the need but as he pressed a hand against her squirming back he focused on the man he promised his life to as Zale whimpered and wiggled in Daniel’s arms. For some reason both the children were not doing well tonight but not to the point where they were seeking Erica’s help. They were just fussy.

He wasn’t really watching Zale anyway, focusing on the beautiful display Daniel made as a father. This was a new thing for Daniel and even a month later, it was still a wonderful thing to behold. Daniel was pacing and talking to their son, asking him what was wrong and what he needed. Generally he just talked nonsensical loving words that made Jack love the man even more.

The Colonel continued to rub Zada’s back and listen to Daniel’s muttering. He thought about the plans he made for tomorrow night. Since the Vannas people didn’t really have a Julian calendar, there was no real way to mark the days so he was creating a valentines day for the two of them. Sam and Teal’c were taking the twins, that is if they would ever calm down enough for all of them to get some sleep.

“Should we try to lay them down and just let them be fussy?” Daniel whispered gently.

Jack shrugged, “That might just elevate the fussing to screaming and that’s not going to help anyone.”

Daniel nodded, “I figured, I can feel his need to be held and loved which is new. Will you move her so I can try to lay down?”

Jack lifted his beautiful daughter off the bed and tucked her against his chest and Zada immediately tucked her face into the fold of his shirt to hide from the light. Daniel slid into the bed beside them and Jack leaned over to turn off the bedside lamp. They sat in silence and listened as the babies calmed a little at a time. Zada and Zale refused to be put into their beds so Daniel and Jack settled on their sides and laid them both between them. As the twins relaxed into sleep, Jack looked over at Daniel who was drifting to sleep as well.

“I love you Danny,” Jack whispered.

Daniel smiled sleepily and looked over to Jack, “I love you too Colonel, even if your daughter and son are keeping me awake right now.”

Jack grinned. He watched Daniel as the younger man drifted, shifting a little closer to Zale. Daniel’s hand was tucked around his son’s stomach, Jack grinned at the protective motion. He looked down at Zada how was still in her restful state, Jack tucked a finger into one of Zada’s fists. When she gripped his finger there was no way to describe the love he felt for the little girl that he never planned to have. With the knowledge that the three most important people in his life were safe and content, Jack allowed himself to fall asleep. Their bed was big enough that they wouldn’t fall off in the middle of the night and this seemed to be the best way for all of them to get some rest.

And he had big plans for the next day and night.

~~~

Daniel woke up the next day to Jack changing children and settling them back on the bed in turn. He looked down at Zada who was tucked against his chest, “Hey there beautiful girl.”

“You’re awake,” Jack said and Daniel could hear the smile in his husband’s voice. Daniel nodded but kept his eyes on the little girl’s chocolate brown eyes so like her daddy’s that it made Daniel love her even more. The fact that they were able to find each other, and then create a family together is a miracle that Daniel never expected as a possibility.

“I am so in love with your daughter,” Daniel whispered to Jack as he leaned down and kissed her dark fluff of hair.

“That’s probably to be expected, she is my daughter.”

Daniel huffed a short quiet laugh since he didn’t want to scare her. Jack rejoined them on bed, settled Zale against his chest with a bottle pressed into his mouth and Jack handed Daniel a spare bottle from the bedside table. Daniel accepted it with a grateful smile and slipped it close to Zada’s lips. The hungry little girl accepted the food with enthusiasm.

“How many classes do you have today?” Jack asked Daniel which made him roll his eyes. Jack knew his schedule.

“I have three classes this morning, one right after lunch then I am done for the day. Why? You got big plans or something?” 

“Maybe,” he responded mysteriously. Daniel shrugged it off, Jack he was learning was a hopeless romantic and Daniel just got to enjoy the ride for the most part. Jack tended to do special things for Daniel all the time all the while, never really expecting anything in return.

“Well maybe I will be free for your plans,” Daniel said as he looked up at Jack.

“I have nothing going on today except hanging with these two wonderful children of ours. Zarkina has made my training sessions in accordance of not leaving these two alone. So your heavy workload days are my daddy days and vice versa.”

“That’s a good woman they have in control here,” Daniel said with a grin.

Jack had to agree, despite his initial misgivings about her and the magical people they lived among now. “So are you still training part time with Zarkina’s protectors? Or has Teal’c taken that responsibility?”

Jack shrugged, “Mostly Teal’c is handling that training and I am working with Zarkina on battle tactics. I am not leaving the island anymore, not after what happened but I am still helping when I can.”

“I know lover, you cannot just be stationary,” Daniel said as he picked of Zada who was finished with her bottle and he settled her against his should to burp her. They had a pretty large supply of breast milk from the twins, who were sending some every day and they were stored in a safe place from where Jack pulled the bottles from every time the babies were hungry.

Daniel leaned close and pressed a gentle kiss to Jack’s stubbly chin before he listened for the burp that would tell him Zada was ready for some play before her midday nap.

When both children were playing with small toys, Jack and he took turns showering and getting ready for the day before Jack sent Daniel away with some sweet kisses.

Jack watched him go and walked out into the living room with a baby tucked against each shoulder to find Sam whispering to her son, rubbing a hand over his light brown skin in tender affection. She looked up as Jack sat down in a chair and relaxed his hold on the twins so they sat on each thigh.

“Are we on for this evening, your v-day with Daniel?” Sam asked with a toothy grin.

Jack smiled and nodded, “Yes ma’am, you are a goddess for doing this for us. Daniel and I have sort of rushed into this family business and I would like to remind him that there is nothing in this world more important than our continued love for one another, it was that bond that made these two children possible.”

“You are such a softy,” Sam said with a laugh. Jacob, tucked against her chest still, murmured in his sleep before settling back against his mother.

“Where is Teal’c?” Jack asked, looking around to find his other teammate not in the room.

“He has training this morning with the Markis Vannas,” Sam said.

“Yeah, Daniel had class. I don’t know how it happened but I became the house wife this time around,” Jack said with a laugh. He looked down at the twins; Zada and Zala were leaning back into his side, looking up at him with cheeky looks that bordered on happy smiles. 

“Colonel Jack O’Neill, a house wife. How do you feel about that?” Sam asked. “I for one seem to be completely taken by my son so I don’t mind the new position.”

“Are you still working the science angle?” Jack asked, ignoring the housewife inquiry.

Sam nodded, “When I can. Since Jacob’s arrival and my healing from the birth, I haven’t had the opportunity to get into anything besides being here for my son.”

“In case you were really wondering, I don’t mind being the house wife either. I am happy having a second chance at a family, as long as Daniel is here to help me find my way.”

Sam grinned, “Yeah. I never thought I would be okay with the wife thing but Teal’c has taught me what it means to be a family and want a future outside of textbooks and science theorems.”

“Yeah, you wacky science types seem to have a way about you that makes you irresistible to us muscle types.”

“You hate scientists,” Sam said with a grin.

“Not him, I always needed him from the very beginning. Daniel Jackson has been saving my life, changing me in more ways than I could possibly count since the first trip through the gate.”

“And me?” Sam asked, cheeky grin in place.

“You Carter, are the bratty little sister I never wanted,” Jack, said with a returning grin.

“Whatever you say Jack, just remember who making it possibly for you to make sweet love to your husband tonight.”

“Again, goddess,” Jack reiterated then picked the babies back up and headed for the bedroom. He left Sam to coo at her son as he closed the door and quickly changed diapers and fed them again. They were going to be rocked to sleep then he would have a chance to plan some things for the night ahead.

Daniel was distracted, that was all there was to it. He was in his last class; thank God because all he wanted to do was find out just what Jack had in mind for tonight. When the time came, he brought the class to a close and once more, Winter was waiting for him.

“I could really use your help, Dr. Jackson. Have you discussed the possibility of private lessons with your husband?” Winter asked, the saccharine sweet tone of voice undermining the respect she was trying to show for Jack. For that alone Daniel really didn’t want to help the girl.

“He has requested that I not be alone with you and I would have to agree, it is not a good idea for such a young single woman to be alone with her teacher. If you want to ask some of your classmates for help, please do. If you cannot find some help then we can form a study group, that way everyone is happy.”

Her face fell but the fake smile was back within seconds. Daniel really couldn’t stand when people were fake like this and it wasn’t until talking to Kirkan and Jack that he even looked for the chinks in her façade but now he could see they were not very well hidden. She must believe that he is truly an idiot.

“Well as I have already said, the others will not help me. Please see if you can set up some kind of study session with you to proctor and I will be in attendance.”

Daniel nodded and gave a quick smile as he packed up his stuff and started for the door only to find Kirkan waiting again. “What is this desperate need to watch over me like a baby duck?” Daniel demanded in annoyance. It was bad enough he got this treatment from his spouse, but other people as well.

Kirkan frowned at him, “I am only doing what I have been commanded to do, with the strange interest of the sister-by-marriage of Zarkina, she has been concerned about your safety. Winter is not to be trusted and as Zarkina is the reason she was not sent off the island, she wishes to be certain of your continued safety.”

Daniel paused in his walk back to the castle, “Sister-by-marriage? Winter is William and Steph’s sister?” he asked in clarification.

Kirkan nodded, “Yes, younger sister. She has had several ill-conceived ideas about what she should be in the Valley, and she has made several mistakes to try to take over the throne. Because of this past Zarkina wishes to know you are not harmed in Winter’s scheming.”

Daniel nodded, “I have made it clear I will not spend alone time with her.”

“That is a good plan, I know you think these actions we are taking for your safety somehow undermines your ability to be a man but that is not the point of all this. Zarkina as well as many of the people you are teaching hold you in the utmost respect, but she also understands that because of your amazing ability to see the good in everyone, she worries for you. We all do.”

“Yeah I get it, I got it during the fight I had with my husband. Believe it or not, I survived life for many years before I met Jack O’Neill. I actually got into a lot less trouble before I met him, now he seems to drag me into all sorts of trouble.”

“From the stories he tells, it seems to me you have created many situations all on your own.”

Daniel snorted, “That might be true but before the Stargate program, I was just some crazy archeologist but I lived a safe life.”

“Then you found yourself in a fantastic new life that got you into more trouble but somehow it was better than what you had before?” Kirkan asked.

Daniel smiled a little, looking at the younger man. “Yes it was better, with him and the Gate and SG1. There is no way to compare, with the fear and frustration this life I live with Jack is so much better than what I had before.”

They once again found themselves in front of the castle, Daniel gave Kirkan a salute and he waved as he walked away. Kirkan lived in one of the small surrounding buildings, close enough to guard the castle and far enough away that he could have a family there. From what Daniel understood, the small house belonged to whoever was in charge of the sentry duty for weeks at a time.

Daniel walked into the castle and found Zarkina waiting for him, “I am just so popular today, aren’t I?” he wondered in a snarky tone.

She smiled, “You have learned of Winter’s identity, you understand your assigned guard but I need to make you understand that you are a strong man and I believe in you. I also believe that Winter has an interesting habit of making stupid and unbelievable plans work to her advantage. She is fixating on you and I need to know that she’s not going to hurt you.”

“Uh huh, that’s what everyone keeps saying.”

Zarkina reached out and touched Daniel’s shoulder, “I mean it Daniel, I need you to be safe. Zara can sense what is inside others around me and she knows better than anyone that your are the purist soul I have found among humans. The love you share with Jack and those babies, the power you seem to weild over my beloved Taylor, you just keep surprising me and as someone of such a good heart and soul, I do not want you sullied by someone who is out to get me.”

Daniel nodded, thinking about her words, “I have plans apparently so I should go see what Jack has planned for us.”

Zarkina smiled and let him walk past. He walked up the stairs and down the hall to open the door only to find the lights dimmed and rose petals strewn across floor, leading him to the bedroom. Daniel smiled and walked towards his plans with the man he chose to make a life with.

“Turning out to be the best day ever,” he muttered even as he lifted some petals and pressed them to his face.


	5. V-Day for Danny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Special Valentine's Day piece for Daniel and Jack. Lemony goodness...

Jack watched Daniel’s journey through the apartment, watched as his young lover leaned down to grab a handful of petals from the floor to breath in. He whispered something to himself as he continued to move forward. Daniel followed the trail of petals into the bedroom where there were candles set all around the room, fat and squat candles with flickering flames. Jack was standing next to the bed, with a rose-like flower in his hand and waited for his beloved to come to him. Daniel looked at Jack and smiled, grinned really.

“What’s all this?” Daniel asked as he allowed the petals in hand to scatter around his feet. Jack stepped forward and handed the bloom to his spouse before moving Daniel to sit down on the bed. Jack slowly pulled off one of Daniel’s boots and rubbing his foot before doing the same to the other. Daniel moaned in appreciation as Jack looked up from his kneeling position.

“This is our own Valentine’s Day, to celebrate you and me. Zale and Zada are an amazing addition to this little family we got going on here but it all began with you and I. I don’t want us to forget that.”

Daniel leaned down and kissed Jack gently on the lips and the forcibly retired Colonel felt his heart leap into double time. He let Daniel kiss him for a few seconds before pulling back and shoving Daniel back into the bed a little. The scientist chuckled as he relaxed into the bed and waited for whatever came next. Jack didn’t know how to describe how erotic that trust was. Jack sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to unbuckle Daniel’s slacks and belt, sliding them down over his butt, then his thighs and knees and finally the pants were on the ground, leaving Daniel in shorts. Daniel sat up a little when Jack requested, helping him to get off his shirt and undershirt. Jack reached to the bedside table and grabbed a small bottle of warmed oils, drizzling some across Daniel’s chest. The younger man breathed in at the warm liquid touched his sensitive skin. Jack took his time, spreading the oil all over Daniel’s chest while paying special attention to his nipples, and dipping a finger gently down into his navel before massaging Daniel’s arms and coaxing him onto his stomach.

The massage continued to the quiet moans of appreciation from Daniel and then Jack shoved Daniel’s undershorts down his legs and the message continued to his legs and feet, special attention lavished on the insides of his thighs and between his toes. Jack grinned as Daniel let out a whimper of annoyance when he came so close to his genitals only to retreat.

“Jack,” he whined. The teasing Colonel grinned at his lover’s reaction, he loved that he knew this side of Daniel. Jack was the only one in this world and time to know what Daniel sounded like when he wanted to get on with the show or when he climaxed. It was a privilege that Jack promised himself he would attempt to never take for granted.

“Please Jack I need you so bad right now!” Daniel said even as he pressed his forehead into the bed.

Jack decided to take pity on his lover, letting Daniel turn back to lay on his back, his erection proudly pointing towards the ceiling of their room. Jack let his eyes rove over this amazing man until he reached Daniel’s sharp sky blue gaze, the color much darker in passion than they normally were.

“What do you want Danny?” Jack asked, his voice breaking even as he said his husband’s name.

“I want you inside me, where you belong.”

Jack swooped gently down to take Daniel’s mouth in a long and lingering kiss but Daniel seemed to be at the end of gentleness, gripping the back of Jack’s neck and pulling him in tighter. Jack pulled back enough to pull his shirt over his head and fumbled around to lose his pants and undershorts as well. As soon as he was naked, Daniel was pulling him back down for another kiss. Jack was still in contact with the oil and drizzled more across his finger, reaching down to caress Daniel’s cock gently before moving his hand down between Daniel’s legs to the sensitive hole that always gripped him perfectly. After such a long dry spell, Jack could tell Daniel was going to need some extra prepping so as he continued to kiss Daniel’s mouth, one hand covered in oil rubbed up and down on Daniel’s jutting member all the while his other hand was working at the younger man’s hole.

Daniel tugged his mouth away from Jack’s after an indeterminate amount of prepping minutes and growled, “Jack!”

The colonel chuckled, using a little more oil on his own throbbing cock before lining it up with Daniel’s hole. He took that moment of penetration to lock his eyes on Daniel’s. “I love you so much Daniel Jackson-O’Neill.”

“And I love you, Jack Jackson,” Daniel grunted a little at a time all the while he kept breathing. No matter how much prep, this first time was going to be tight and God was it tight. Jack had to stop when he was fully inside otherwise he was going to explode before Daniel had a chance to get with the program. Instead he reached one hand down and grabbed Daniel’s cock again which had flagged a little with the pain of penetration. He leaned down and took Daniel’s mouth in another hot kiss as he worked Daniel up again. After a few seconds, he could feel Daniel relax into the invasion and Jack started moving finally. Daniel immediately moaned in appreciation and Jack knew this wasn’t going to last very long. He continued to work his hand up and down on Daniel’s quivering member even as he stroked the inside of Daniel’s body and shifted enough to rub against his lover’s prostrate and Daniel shouted out as he started to orgasm. The tensing of his muscles, the clamping down into Jack’s cock sent the older man into his own completion. He was left pressed against Daniel’s sticky stomach, breathing hard and not wanting to move any time soon. Daniel had his legs wrapped around Jack’s hips and his arms were tightly wrapped around Jack’s shoulders, not allowing the older man to move off of him.

Finally pulling away from Daniel’s lax body, Jack walked to their bathroom and started the water in the tub, getting it warm before he walked back to the bed with a cloth to wipe away the mess of climax from Daniel’s body. Then he gently picked up his lover and took him into the bathroom and put him gently down into the tub. Daniel smiled, eyes still closed as he sat down, scooting forward so Jack could slide down behind Daniel’s body.

“Wow, I never get tired of that.”

Jack grinned, “Good, happy to be of service.”

Daniel leaned his head back on Jack’s shoulder, “Where are my beautiful babies anyway?”

“They are with Sam and Teal’c, hanging out with Zarkina and her daughter.”

“That’s good, I hope they aren’t too much for Sam, she is still a little tired from the birth and recovery.”

Jack looked down at Daniel with a frown, “She is?”

He nodded, “Yeah, she hides it well but I can see it in her.”

“You were always closer to her than I ever could be, it was always to weird and wrapped up in military crap.”

“Don’t I know it,” Daniel snickered.

Jack shook his head, “There isn’t any military crap here to keep us apart.”

“Thank some gods for that, I don’t know who anymore but I thank them,” Daniel said and leaned up to kiss Jack’s chin. 

Jack smiled in return, “Happy Valentines Day Danny, I hope you will always stay my love.”

“Happy Valentine’s day Colonel Jack, I will always be yours.”


	6. Concerned Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Worry about Zale and Zada is mounting.

They retrieved their children from Teal’c and Sam that evening, promising to return the favor when Sam was ready for a night alone with her Jaffa husband. The big man nodded in appreciation and walked across the way with Jacob tucked into his large arms. Sam stayed in front of Jack and Daniel as they cuddled their babies who seemed to be a little extra fussy.

“Sam?” Daniel asked her.

“I don’t know if its anything to worry about but they are both a little warm and seemed out of sorts. I didn’t notice any other symptoms but maybe you should keep an eye on them.”

“They were semi fussy last night too, I wonder if they are getting sick,” Daniel muttered even as he held Zale tightly to his shoulder which normally comforted the little boy but this time he just wriggled even more. Daniel frowned and leaned forward to kiss Sam gently on the cheek before he headed back to the bedroom. Jack watched his spouse holding his son. He looked down at his daughter, who on the other hand seemed listless.

He leaned forward and kissed Sam’s cheek as well, “We will let you know if we need to take them to Erica.”

Sam nodded and walked back to her bedroom and Jack followed Daniel into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Zada looked up at him and through the skin-to-skin contact he could feel her exhaustion and the hint of warmth that warned an onset of fever possibly. He moved to sit on the bed, where Daniel was already resting with their son on his shoulder. “I can feel his unrest, the worry inside of him. He’s a baby, he’s not supposed to be feeling like this.”

Jack pulled Daniel closer so they were in contact with one another. Jack rest an arm around Daniel’s shoulder and a gentle hand curled around Zale’s dark head. “Love, it’s going to be okay. Whatever happens, we have on-call doctors and they are just a little warm.”

Daniel nodded but Jack could tell his lover was still worried. It was upsetting to see him so wound up hours after the afternoon and evening they spent in bed and the bath and up against any surface they found themselves on. “I don’t like this,” Daniel reiterated.

“Should we take the day off tomorrow and see how they feel?” Jack asked. He had one session tomorrow with Zarkina, but it could be easily rescheduled and Daniel had his language class as he did every day. It was the only one for the next day.

Daniel shook his head, making sure not to jar Zale in the slightest. “I just have the one class and it’s in mid afternoon, after your session with Zarkina. You can speak to her about calling in Erica if they don’t feel better.”

Jack nodded and watched Zada for a few minutes, she was so still but he could feel her simple thoughts and feelings so he knew she was alive and just not well. They both stayed in bed with their children for the rest of the evening and into the night. After they were fed a little, since they didn’t want much and Jack and Daniel forced themselves to put them in their basinets for the night. They climbed back into their bed and settled together but not for a restful night sleep. There was no such thing for Jack; having seen his first son die quickly, this illness seemed to be taking their children bit by bit. Daniel lay in his arms, twitching and not truly resting either but a little better off than Jack. He had an early morning meeting with Zarkina and should attempt to sleep but it seemed like he wasn’t going to be ok unless he knew Zale and Zada were still alive in their beds.

Morning came a little at a time, Jack slept fitfully but it was enough for his military trained mind and body to be able to function well enough to feed Zale and Zada a little in the morning but they still didn’t have an appetite and as he held his daughter the warmth of her skin seemed to be rising. When it was Zale’s turn, he noticed the same rise in temperature. He went over to the bed and shook Daniel lightly, “I am going to meet with the Queen but I don’t feel right leaving Zada so I am going to take her with. Zale’s temperature is rising, I am going to ask to send for Erica.”

Daniel sat up during Jack’s statement and rubbed the tired from his eyes. Jack leaned down and kissed his lover’s lips gently which Daniel responded to a second too late and Jack was already moving to take his daughter with him to the door. Daniel shuffled off of the bed and picked up Zale before climbing back into bed with him.

Jack hoped that Daniel understood that the connection he had with Zada was stronger than the one he carried for Zale which is why he was desperate to hold her, to remind himself constantly that she was still alive. Daniel undoubtedly would feel the same compulsion with Zale.

He walked downstairs and slipped down the hallway in the quiet of the morning, opening the throne room door and found him in the large room that always shocked him with its size and simple elegance. There were tall windows, allowing in natural light, tables and chairs for eating or just talking and at the center of the room was the throne where Jack was pretty sure he’d never seen Zarkina sitting. She enjoyed standing next to it or wandering among the people gathered around the room. As it was, Zarkina was sitting at one of the breakfast tables, an empty plate sitting in front of her on the table and Taylor cuddled into her chest. William, her obnoxious husband was there as was the norm. It was a rare sight indeed to find one without the other. Their twins, Asana and Steph were both there as well as William and Steph’s mother, Cassandra and Kirkan, one of Daniel’s best students.

He walked over to the group, smiling at them as they paused in their conversation to acknowledge him. “Who is with her daddy today?” Zarkina said as she moved Taylor off of her lap and standing to attempt to take Zada away from Jack who held her away from the queen.

Zarkina frowned, “What is it? You’re worried.”

Jack looked down at his daughter and without his choice, when he looked back up again there was bits of moisture clinging to his eyes, and preparing to fall. Zarkina immediately set a gentle hand on Zada’s head and closed her eyes for a second before the green gaze caught up with his once more. “She’s sick, doesn’t want to eat and I can feel her worry and listlessness.”

“Jack, calm down, she is adopting your fear as her own.”

He nodded and tried to calm his mind for his daughter’s sake. Zarkina reached out again and this time Jack started to hand his child over but his beautiful dark haired princess immediately started whimpering and fighting against the transfer. Zarkina released her hold and Zada relaxed into Jack once more. “I don’t know why but she is fighting her physiology, the human half warring with the Vannas side. I need to call Erica because I am only guessing about this and she has a better grasp on the magic of children and their genetic makeup. She should be here soon, just go back to Daniel and wait for Erica. I am going to take a guess and say your son is sick as well.”

Jack nodded.

“Daniel can reschedule his class today, the children need you and since Desire and Lust have recently returned to Damnation’s camp we will not have access to them to help.”

“Desire and Lust are gone?” Jack demanded, they’d been receiving milk and he hadn’t even given it a second thought that they might not be available in case of something like this.

“They will return when you have need of them but give yourself and Daniel the chance to be the parents I know you can be, without the extra help all the time from the surrogate mothers who didn’t want to have children at all.”

Jack knew she was right, Desire and Lust had no intention of being mothers to Zale and Zada and it would be unfair of them to demand their presence. He nodded and turned back to head back upstairs and back into his apartment where Daniel was walking around in his sleeping clothes, a whimpering Zale in his arms. Daniel looked over at him when he walked into the room, “Any better?” Jack asked him.

Daniel shook his head, “I think he’s getting worse. I couldn’t get him to eat anything now he won’t calm down no matter what I do.” As Daniel spoke, his voice rose in pitch, fear causing the change. Zale of course pitched into screaming, feeling his daddy’s fear.

“Do you want to trade for a little while, Zada is so still and I could use some movement just so I know they are both still alive and with us.”

Daniel nodded and unlike with the Queen, the babies glad went to their other daddy. Daniel and Jack both heaved a sigh of relief for holding the other child. Jack desperately wanted to keep holding Zada because he needed the connection to know she was alive but as Daniel curled into the corner of the couch with her tucked under his chin, eyes closed with little trails of liquid leaking in the corners, Jack knew he did the right thing. Daniel had only been alone for about a half an hour and Zale had worked him into an emotional frenzy in that time.

Zale was indeed restless, his spirit in need of something that he wasn’t getting but because they didn’t have the words, Zale couldn’t tell them what he needed. Then again, if this was indeed connected to the Vannas half of themselves then of course Jack and Daniel wouldn’t have what they needed. Zale let Jack walk him around the room, whimpering and shifting constantly in his arms but did not cry out as Jack might have expected. So he quietly murmured soothing words to his son and listened to the feelings Zale chose to transmit to him but after a while it seemed to just tire him out so Jack slipped into silence and waited for something to happen, something to change.


	7. Troubling Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding out what's going on with the twins.

Daniel didn’t know how long between Jack’s arrival in the apartment till the time Erica came knocking at their door, all he knew was that it was far too long. Zada was still so very still in his arms, to the point now that her breathing was faltering ever so slightly. He kept a hold on her and kept listening to her soul and her breathing, making sure she was still with him. Jack was still holding the squirming and crying Zale, who had finally had enough of the silent comfort. 

Sam went to admit Erica into the room and Daniel took a moment to notice her deep red hair was captured in ponytail at the back of her neck with several strands loose at her temples and she was dressed in her normal ‘healing’ attire, as Daniel liked to think of it. Her black pants were loose slacks and the shirt clean and form fitted so the fabric wouldn’t hinder her movements in case she had to perform some kind of surgery, which for the Vannas was rare, but it did happen at times.

“Well Akina did say they were upset, lets put them down.” She glared at Daniel when he was about to argue, he didn’t want to put down Zada and Jack looked like he wanted to argue despite the squirming babe in his arms. “I know you both want to keep touching them but I can feel your fear and uncertainty and I am not even touching you, now lets go put them on the bed.”

All three adults walked back to Jack and Daniel’s bedroom and they each put their armful down on the bedspread. Both children started to struggle as best they could, reaching out to their retreating fathers but Erica shoved them gently away from the bed as she settled in the middle of the bed and held each child with a hand over the stomach. Daniel did what he’d wanted to do all night and morning, walking over to Jack and wrapping an arm around the older man’s waist. Jack tucked an arm over Daniel’s shoulder and gripped him tightly. Seconds turned into minutes as Erica continued to touch Zada and Zale, holding them still gently.

Daniel listened and as Zale made each new whimper or Zada moved an inch, Jack had to hold him back from removing Erica from their children, as he so desperately wanted to do.

Finally Erica looked over to them, “Akina was right, the human side doesn’t know what to do about the Vannas side, I have never seen this even in Regis who are born of a Vannas and a human. Our physiology works well together to make magical children but I get the sense that the reason they are struggling is because they have for some reason adopted an Awakened Magis.”

“What?” Daniel demanded, “How could that have possibly happened?”

Erica shrugged, “I am having a hard time understanding it but I feel the old soul of Magis within them, trying to take control which would undoubtedly do harm to the babies. Akina and William are the only ones to fully bond with their Awakened Magis, they can help hopefully and for now I have convinced the Magis within not to attempt control for the time being, until Akina and William can link with their minds and connect with the power within.”

Daniel looked at Erica closely, “I thought your Magis was awakened, why can’t you do anything?”

Erica frowned at him, “It’s an uncomfortable subject but my Magis and I have not bonded due to her relationship with Zara and Zakias she has been tethered within me. It does not harm her but it does keep her from lashing out against my best friend. Zara may be a great being of goodness and humility now but in her long lifetime she harmed more than she did good. Until my Magis is willing to cooperate, she must remain tethered and as such will not be able to help your sweet babies.”

Daniel nodded, “I am sorry for bringing it up.”

“You hear a great deal of information as you are a trusted confidant of our Lady Zarkina, I understand your need to question why I cannot help your children instead of making you wait while they suffer needlessly.” Erica stood from the bed and Daniel hurried over to touch each of the twins to find them resting comfortably without the negative emotions bubbling up as they had been for more than a day. It worried him that their children would be in for a strange journey as Vannas, rather than humans. Jack and he would have to learn from these people how to raise their children in a way that would honor where they came from as well as deal with what they might be capable of.

Jack came back into the bedroom after seeing Erica to the door and sat down next to Daniel, touching each child in turn as well. Then he leaned into Jack and kissed him gently even as the tears flowed a little, wetting his cheeks and Jack leaned in close to Daniel’s ear, “We will find a way, my love. They will be well and we will learn how to deal with this.”

Daniel nodded into his neck and they each picked up a child and settled them into their bassinets to get some real rest but they would undoubtedly wake soon and want to eat so Daniel settled into the bed with Jack next to him.

“What is this ‘Awakened Magis’ you guys keep mentioning?” Jack asked softly, so he wouldn’t wake the babies.

Daniel kept watching the bassinets, “It is what they call Zarkina and William’s inner power, that second soul that gives them power but in those such as the Queen and King, when it is awakened it gives them more power but that second personality sometimes can cause a lot of drama. As Erica proved so eloquently, her Magis has to be contained because she will harm Zarkina who is Erica’s best friend. I have heard the stories of Zarkina when Zara awoke; those were very interesting as well. Sir William, I haven’t really heard much about William and Zakias but I imagine they were a story to be heard as well.”

“What does that mean for our children?” Jack asked, confused and afraid for his son and daughter.

Daniel shrugged, “I don’t really know Jack, we will have to wait and speak to William and Zarkina.”

For now all they could do is be thankful that Erica was able to give their babies a little bit of peace for now and wait for word from the queen.


	8. Different View Point

Zarkina watched as her beautiful Taylor played with a learning tool that was in the process of teaching her how to read and write. She was excelling fast not that Akina was really surprised; the little girl’s beauty was only surpassed by the amazing intellect within that little body. 

“Akina, we need to talk about Daniel and Jack’s children,” Erica stated clearly and loudly as she walked through the doors of the throne room. Everyone who was milling about for various reasons paused and Akina waved their attention away as she walked over to a couple of comfy chairs and sat down, Erica followed quickly. 

“Sorry, I am worried about them and what my findings will mean for not only them but for our people too.” 

“What did you find?” Akina asked, exasperated with the delay. 

“I believe very strongly that Zada and Zale are hosting Awakened Magis. I was able to convince the souls within that they need to not harm the babies in their attempt to retake a body. I don’t know enough to say which gods they are hosting or how they got in the babies in the first place. I am pretty sure you are going to be the only one able to speak to those who reside within. You and William.” 

Akina leaned forward, placing her head in her hands. Zara was quiet but once upon a time several years before they had not had a kind introduction to one another. Zara took over her body and went on a merry adventure that almost killed both of them before it was over.

_What do you think?_ The words were whispered to her counterpart within.

_I think we will have to join with the minds of the babies, which is going to be hard enough on them without the changes we will have to make to the souls within._  

“You know, I really hate when you do that glazed I-am-talking-to-my-Magis thing,” Erica stated with a little smirk to show she was kidding—mostly. 

“Sorry about that, Zara was being so quiet about it, I was curious.” 

“With William to help, the babies would be in the best of hands. Zakias and William make a relationship between Vannas and Magis look like a breeze, you and Zara are not as practiced but you do just as well. You can help Daniel and Jack to understand there is a way that this is not the end of their children. Only you can prove to them that you still maintain an identity, you just happen to share it with another.” 

Akina knew her friend was right, there were so few Awakened Magis, Akina and William had the best bonds with theirs unlike those like Erica who could not contain the ideas of the Magis. It was not a future she would ever hope for another person, especially babies who had no way to control or contain the one within. 

“I need to speak to William,” Akina said and walked away from Erica. She motioned to Taylor who was watching Akina and Erica. She crouched down and gripped Taylor’s hand, “Will you go and visit with Daniel and Jack for a little while. They are worried over their babies and I am sure they would not mind some sweet Taylor company.” 

The little blonde nodded and pranced across the room and through the door. Akina followed as her daughter clambered up the stairs and walked down the hall to knock on SG1’s door. Akina continued further down the opposite hall and opened the door to her rooms where William was seated at his desk, working on paperwork, which was the bane of running a civilization. 

“Will, we need to talk about the twins,” Akina told him gently as she moved to sit down next to him on the table. He moved the papers she was about to sit on then took her hand gently. 

“Which twins would those be? You know as well as I that twins are all over the place here,” he responded with a smile. 

“Daniel and Jack’s twins,” she responded to which her handsome husband rolled his silver eyes and groaned. 

“Always with those two, why have they become such an obsession to you?” he demanded. 

Akina frowned at him, “William you know as well as I that once we accepted them as one of ours, I became responsible for them. They do no have powers and as all the humans who have befriended us that they need more attention and protection than any Vannas.” 

William stood, releasing her hand and pacing in front of her, “No its special with them. For some reason, Daniel especially has become a pet to you and you would do anything for him.” 

“You know as I do that the members of SG1 amuse me and they are a strength that Zarranth will never see coming.” 

“So they are only good enough if they can be useful to the battle?” William asked. 

“William, you know that’s not true. Daniel has brought a wealth of knowledge back to life and Teal’c and Jack have brought to us a different way to battle and Samantha’s advances in our technology has done amazing things for our people. Do not belittle who they are to all of us. I know you have taken many classes from Teal’c not that you would dare to take one from Jack because you cannot bear the thought that he might know something that you do not. I know you well enough to recognize jealousy in your actions!” 

Akina was suddenly very glad she sent Taylor to Daniel and Jack because the little girl did not need to see her new parents arguing much like she saw the old ones arguing before they disappeared from her world. 

“You like Daniel more than you should!” William returned viciously. 

She stood from the table, reaching out to grasp a swinging hand of her mate and let the emotions that she felt for him cleanse the anger and resentment from her mind and heart. She let him feel the wonder she felt for Daniel’s intellect and his heart. She felt the need to protect that innate goodness in him but she didn’t not feel lust or desire for him, she felt a sisterly affection for him that she didn’t feel for Jack or the others which did make Daniel special but the emotions were nothing in comparison to the way she felt for William and would always feel for him. 

She finally opened her eyes and locked her gaze with Will’s to find the anger gone from his features to only show love and affection. He gripped her hand tightly and pulled her into his chest to take her lips in a fiery kiss that ignited the passion that was always just beneath the surface and Akina smiled into the kiss even as Zara cheered them on, it was one of the few times that Zakias and Zara could feel one another, was when Akina and William’s love for another flared and they were touching. 

As much as Akina wished to see where this kiss was heading she tucked her chin and pushed gently away from William, “Stop being so irresistible. Now we have to talk about Zada and Zale.” 

William groaned but tugged Akina over to the couch and sat down together. “Why is this our problem?” 

“Because no one else can help them,” Akina said quietly. “Erica has it on excellent authority that Zada and Zale have Awakened Magis within them, we are the only ones who can speak to them and convince the other that they are going to hurt the babies if they continue this battle for control.” 

William got that glazed look that Akina recognized from the mirror as he spoke to Zakias.

_Zakias and I both understand the importance of this mission; two more Awakened Magis can only help us in the future._  

“Yes I understand,” William said and he refocused on Akina, “We must do this soon I gather.” 

Akina nodded, “Erica did what she could but as someone with a tethered Magis there is not much she can do.” 

William nodded in understanding, “Well the babies are probably still getting some much needed rest right?” 

Akina watched him suspiciously, “Yes, why?” 

“Well I am just thinking that being relaxed and content as we climb through another’s mind would be better right?” 

“Yes,” Akina agreed again. 

“Good,” William declared as he pulled her into his lap and kissed her again. Akina giggled into his mouth and returned the kiss. He was right; a little bit of stress relief couldn’t do any harm in this situation.


	9. Visitors

Daniel was sleeping, taking advantage of the restful sleep their children were getting finally but Jack couldn’t seem to do the same. He had lived through the death of a child and as Zada’s breathing had become erratic Jack had found himself relieving those terrible days after finding Charlie’s blood body. Daniel didn’t have those nightmares and they had the word of the Vannas that everything would be ok. Jack didn’t really trust that one hundred percent either.

Magic and science did not mean there was no death, no hurt.

There was a slapping knock at the door that made Jack grin a little. Taylor, even after all this time could not stop slapping at their door when she came to visit. He heaved himself from the bed and opened the door to the little girl that opened their hearts to the prospect of children.

“Hey Taylor, what are you doing here?” Jack asked. He looked over to see Daniel shift in his sleep, he motioned to the little girl who ran over and pounced on the bed and climbed into Daniel’s arms who woke up to smile down at their visitor.

“Hey Tay, how’s it going?” he muttered then turned over and looked at their children. Jack frowned, realizing that Daniel’s first thought was that maybe something had changed. He realized they were still sleeping the sleep of the mentally exhausted but not ‘healed’ and Jack couldn’t bear to see the disappointment in his lover’s eyes as he refocused on Taylor who was mumbling things to him as she let her little fingers play with Daniel’s long hair. Jack loved that Daniel kept it long enough for various fun and passion filled reasons but the little girl seemed to just be intrigued by the soft feel of it. Jack considered that to be one of the reasons Jack loved it too.

“So Mommy told me to come and keep you guys company for a little while. I know you are worried about the Z Twins but Mommy and Daddy are going to help and make them all better, just you wait.”

Daniel looked at Jack, a confused grin on his face, “Z Twins?” he asked the little blond bombshell.

“Yeah because they both have Z names and I know you guys call them twins even though they were born of different mommies and why do you do that?”

“They were born the same day and to us, they are siblings and twins.”

Taylor nodded; though she didn’t seem to realty understand what Daniel was saying. It was true that the word ‘twins’ did not apply to Zada and Zale but for them it did. Jack and Daniel agreed somehow without actual words that it was a signifier for their babies.

Jack watched Daniel with the little girl and just enjoyed the view. Daddy Daniel was so attractive to Jack but there was a deep-seated sadness in Daniel right now so Jack went to sit down on the bed next to them and ran a hand through Daniel’s dark blonde hair. He looked up at Jack with a sweet little smile.

They were left to sit and wait with Taylor who kept them somewhat entertained until the babies woke up but it was with a shocking screech and both parents jumped to pick up the nearest child. Jack with Zale squirmed and screaming in his arms while Zada struggled vainly against Daniel. Taylor moved from the bed to the door, “I am going to get Mommy and Daddy.” She took off out the door but the parents were focused on the babies. The screaming stopped as abruptly as it began and Daniel cried out when Zada stopped breathing. Zale followed suit soon after that and they both ran to the door to be met by the Queen and King who led them to the bedroom and both babies were set on the bed. The magical couple sat down next to the children and each placed a hand on one child then took each other’s hands.

“Do something, god dammit!” Jack demanded as he held Daniel who was crying in his arms. Daniel collapsed to the ground but Jack kept a hold of him, falling as well. He just kept holding Daniel and started praying to something, anything that might help.

 


	10. Dreamscape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introduction to Zale and Zada's alter egos.

Akina connected quickly with Zara, Zakias and William. They would help each other but Akina would enter Zada and William would do the same with Zale. The Magis were not going with, it would be too much for the babies and they were going to do what they could to give the twins the best chance. She closed her eyes and followed the bond through her fingers and leaned down a little as her soul slipped gently into Zada. The soul she found her way into was one built of the room they were standing in right now. She was still a baby laying on the bed but her brother and William were not there, neither was Jack or Daniel. The world they were in was very quite but Akina could sense the presence that was so desperate to find its way to the surface.

“I know you’re here, speak to me please?” Akina asked gently. She didn’t know what kind of Magis she was going to meet but she did remember the damage inflicted by the ignorant actions of her own Magis. The creature that slipped from the shadows was still a shock. Magis had chosen their own forms when they became humanoid so they were similar but they didn’t usually pick normal features. This one was no different; she was quite a bit shorter than Akina, about the height of her adopted daughter, with deep purple hair that flowed with unnatural rhythm around her shoulders and down her back. Her eyes were filled with an ivory color that was without a doubt an eery sight, probably as eery as someone seeing Zara’s form for the first time. The child-like being was dressed in a blood red dress with a big bow in the back and little slipper shoes. Clearly she’d adopted the look from watching children from some other time.

“Hello, do you know how I have come to be here?” Akina asked gently as she crouched down to eye level with the Magis.

“You have come to save the child I am now trapped within undoubtedly,” the Magis responded in a haughty and dry tone of voice that seemed to speak of a cold and distant creature that would not care if the child were to perish. Zara would get along well with her, that’s for sure.

“You have guessed correctly, I have also come to show you a different way. If you kill or try to control the child you will not only destroy her, but yourself in the process. She is a beautiful soul and she can be taught to welcome your voice of power and intellect. You though must allow her to grow and learn how to hear you. Right now due to your actions, she is having a hard time breathing. I can see in your shape that you feel her weakness in you. You must understand that to live, you must learn to live together.”

“I am a Goddess, one who lead the protection of the Vannas before the fall of our home planet. How dare you tell me I must be at the bidding of a tiny Vannas child!”

“Yeah, you and Zara will have lots to talk about,” Akina muttered. She remembered this particular rant from her Magis, of course it was much worse since Zara was the Queen of the Gods, the ego on her made this little child creature look downright humble.

“”You know of Zara, does she live?” the Magis asked in anticipation. This was the first emotion besides condescension that Akina had seen from her.

“Yes, she is my Awakened Magis, we have served each other well in the past several years since she awoke. She has even discovered her mate within the body of my husband. We have accepted our fate as two beings in one body and though I have full control, she is allowed time as well when I am not required to do my Queenly duties.”

It might sound lofty, much loftier than Akina would normally state but it seemed to impress the young-looking creature. “Then you are the Queen of the Vannas? Your husband the King, then Zara and Zakia have reclaimed some of their glory from before the fall?”

Akina nodded, “Can I ask your name? What you chose to call yourself when you ascended?”

“I am called Sarafina, from the human term Seraphim to mean the Angels. I was the learder of the protecting class of Magis, those who were created and trained to be there when the Vannas had need of a little protection. These powers have continued into the Vannas I assume?”

Akina smiled, thinking of Kirkan and his brother, as well as many others who carried the powers or protectors, “Yes very strong indeed, you have left a wonderful legacy.”

Sarafina nodded as if to say, ‘But of course.’ Instead she said, “What would you have me do?”

Akina sighed in relief, hoping this would go over well, “You need to sleep a little longer until Zada has been trained to communicate with you. You have to stop trying to force your way to the surface; she is barely 14 days old. She cannot take the pressure of you in her mind.”

“You wish me to forfeit the hold I should have on the body?” Sarafina demanded, her shrill little voice piercing even in the mindscape they shared. Akina looked down at the very still child she was still touching. Her brown eyes watching the queen intently and intelligently and Akina looked back at the Magis with a deep breath for fortitude.

“Not forfeit, admitting that for you to live, she must live and be allowed the right she has over the body she was born to. Zada is a person born of a Vannas and a human, the fact that you somehow reside within her does not give you the right to take her body when she is innocent and to weak to fight back. As the leader of protectors you should understand the necessity of your release. She deserves the chance to grow up, and from what I have experienced with Zara, she will always be glad and a lot annoyed by the constant help dolled out by a supposedly superior being.”

“Supposedly?” Sarafina demanded, frowning at Akina.

“Well you are fading away because you are bound to a baby,” Akina said and the Magis looked down to herself to see indeed that with the slowing of Zada’s heartbeats, she was fading as well.

“You must act quickly, find yourself a comfortable little hole in this child’s mind and stop trying to force your way out. Allow her time to grow and give yourself the chance to blossom with her.”

“Or I die?” Sarafina demanded clarity.

Akina would be glad to give it, “Or you die.”

Sarafina nodded and her form actually wavered slowly out of existence and on the bed, the small girl’s aura glowed as she regained the ability to breath easily. Akina had no idea how much Zada’s personality and vibrancing had been dimmed because of the Magis within, she was just like her heroic and naïve father but every bit the fighter of her daddy Jack. Akina slid quietly from Zada’s mind and her eyes opened to find Zada grinning up at her with gums and drool.

As soon as she removed her hand from the little girl, Daniel scrambled from the ground and scooped her into his arms. The tears tracks down his face were clear and she allowed him to breath a sigh of relief at his daughters return as she turned to look at William who was still holding Zale down, William’s arm was shaking from the stress of whatever was going on inside and the baby was still struggling to remain breathing and functioning. Akina immediately dove into the mind of her husband and followed the stream of his thoughts into the little boy even as Daniel demanded to know what was going wrong with his son.

What she found was much worse than Zada had gotten with Sarafina. The Magis within Zale had taken over his dreamscape turning it into a wild untamed forest that the little boy would have had no reference to recreate in his subconscious. She listened for a second and heard William screaming as well as the sounds of struggling. She ran through the forest till she found a clearing where William, in his dream ‘image’ which was exactly like his waking form was fighting a man who stood about seven and a half feet, a foot or so over William’s head. He had unruly brown hair that lay in messy braids and knots around his face, which was so angular and hard it, could have been carved from stone. In fact his skin was a marbled color of stone and from this distance she couldn’t see his eyes but they looked brown as well from the distance. Not to mention the Magis was wearing rags and clothes made of bits of forest possibly.

Akina quickly jumped between the men and despite the worry it caused her, she pulled some of William’s power into the mindscape and froze the large creature in his steps. William, she did the same to just for him to realize what was happening then unfroze him quickly.

“What has happened here?” she demanded.

“It seems Master of the Forest: Xylander has somehow taken control of the mindscape and has set about killing Zale for control of the body.”

“Clearly, why are you fighting him?” she asked.

“Because he attacked me and I would rather not be struck down in someone else’s mindscape. Outside the mind, Akina placed her hand on Zale’s head and brought the little boy’s soul into the mindscape where they were. Then she unshielded Xylander’s head and allowed him to see the weak little boy who wasn’t moving or looking around or anything. He was already so still, he could have been dead.

“This is the soul of the body you now reside in, if you kill him you kill yourself. Listen to the trees in this forest and ask them how long before they whiter and die? Ask yourself how strong you feel?”

Xylander glared down at them but did pause, tilting his head a little as if to listen and then down once more as though he was taking stock of himself now. “What have you done to me? I should have been able to destroy the puny Vannas when he attacked me.”

“I did not attack him,” William hissed in annoyance.

“We have done nothing to you, you are responsible for the weakness in this child and yourself. You must realize this is the case as my dear husband has yet to touch you in battle.”

William glared at her from the side, “Really?”

Akina shrugged, “You have been reborn into the body of this child, you are tied to his spirit which of course means that if you kill him, you kill yourself.”

“You lie!” the giant said but it was a weak willed response full of uncertainty.

“I can promise you two things, first if he dies you both do.”

“And second?” he asked after Akina stayed silent for a moment.

“If you back off your unsupported claim of the little one, he will grow to cherish the relationship and power you will give him.”

“Unsupported?” Xylander hissed.

“You have for no reason stolen into the soul of this little boy. I know for a fact that Lust has no earthen abilities in her line so you found your way into a child you were never supposed to be inside. Now, I know for a fact that Awakened Magis and Vannas can share a remarkable friendship and partnership.”

“I do as well,” William butted in, not wanting to be left out apparently.

“You can have the same and be allowed to survive this,” Akina continued as if William hadn’t spoke at all.

“Release me?” Xylander requested much more calmly.

William snapped his finger and the shield dropped, releasing Xylander from his frozen state. He reached out gently as touched a out-of-place clean hand to Zale’s brow. The baby whimpered a little, which in the case was actually a good sign. Xylander reached out and took the baby from his arms and hugged him close to the chest that was now suddenly wrapped in a soft robe that wrapped around the still large chest. Zale again moved and whimpered.

“Like a symbiotic relationship in the forest, the weaker individual most be awarded the best care and support.”

Akina smiled, “Please return his mindscape to its original form.”

With that everything returned to the bedroom, much like his sisters. But in all four corners, there were beautiful trees that were growing from the ground to support various parts of the room, as if the trees were growing and the room was built to go with the trees.

“Xylander,” she chided as she retook Zale squirming and lively form, bright once more.

“It was not me, he changed it of his own volition,” Xylander said seriously. With that he slipped into one of the corners and disappeared into the tree. Hopefully this lesson would be enough to remind both Sarafina and Xylander of the relation they now shared with the babies but they would all have to pay close attention to the little ones and their progress.

“You always were better with the talking thing than I was,” William said churlishly.

“Love, you are good at whatever you put your mind to, I imagine that you were too menacing to Xylander not of your own doing but just how you are in the mindscape, he reacted and you had to protect yourself.”

William nodded, “We need to let them know Zale is going to be alright.”

With that, they abandoned the mind of the baby boy who was, just like his sister, grinning up at them until Daniel who had apparently handed Zada off to Jack scooped up his son who gave a giggle at his daddy’s immediate attention. They all paused to enjoy the sound before Daniel started crying all over again as he held Zale against his chest and looked down into those blue eyes that were so like Daniel’s eyes.

Akina and William stood and retreated from the bedroom, letting Sam and Teal’s know of their success before gathering a concerned Taylor and hurried her out of the room. When Jack and Daniel were more together, Akina had no doubt Akina and her husband would receive thanks and possibly gifts if Daniel had anything to say about it.

For now they would have to put away the fear of losing their very young children and find comfort in the fact that both of the babies were going to be fine.

Until the next time the Magis within decided to come out and play, Akina and William both knew that the journey of a Magis and Vannas relationship is filled with highs and lows, hard times and rewarding times. Her first fourteen days with Zara had been filled with body hijackings; burns, cuts and running away from home and those were just the highlights.

This would not be an easy path but it was one they were thankfully not alone for.


	11. Rocking and Prodding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More trouble for Jack.

Jack held his daughter, finding great comfort in her wailing while it lasted though it seemed that getting an Awakened Magis to back down took a lot out of her. A few minutes after her brother was calm in Daniel’s arms, Zada calmed as well and slipped right into a safe and normal sleep. Jack knew from the warnings after the babies had first been born that he really needed to put her down but he was also desperate for a few more minutes first.

Daniel was still sitting on the floor next to the bed, rocking Zale in his arms gently but the motion worried Jack deeply. It stemmed from watching men dealing with PTSD back home. Daniel had been through a lot since coming here to this time and world but for the most part they were happy here together but they had just gotten a large dose of reality, that death is a part of life no matter where or when you are and that would not leave any of them alone until one day they were all gone. Jack hoped it would be old age after another fifty years with Daniel but there was no such thing as a guarantee on life. Daniel now knew for sure that their babies were not exempt either.

Jack kissed Zada again on the head as she let out a deep breath and he gently placed her in the bassinet, then he reached down and brought Daniel to his feet and led his love over to Zale’s bassinet and hoped Daniel would take the request to heart and put down their son. Daniel didn’t and his rocking hadn’t stopped.

“Danny, he needs some real rest. Can you put him down?” Jack whispered gently into Daniel’s hair.

He shook his head vigorously, “I can’t Jack, not yet. I heard him take a last breath. I can’t let him go.”

Jack nodded, kissing Daniel’s temple before tugging on him till they were settled on the bed. Daniel was still rocking against the headboard and Jack frowned. His handsome Danny was definitely in the mental throes of PTSD. Jack tugged Daniel gently closer to the center of the bed and wrapped an arm around his shoulder and did the only thing he knew he could, he started rocking right along with him. He held Daniel as he rocked, as he cried and as he finally relinquished Zale to his bassinet only to climb right back into Jack’s arms and fall into a fitful exhausted sleep.

Jack didn’t sleep, still wound up from watching his children draw a final breath at barely two weeks old because of some stupid magical crap and all he could do was sit and watch them and Daniel as they slept. This place had made him remember all the times Jack couldn’t do anything to save anyone, when Daniel and Sam were the ones in charge of fixing whatever was going wrong. He couldn’t help but wonder what the heck he was even good for.

This world, he was a jarhead that didn’t even understand how the world worked here. He was nothing more than muscle, someone to help with strategy in a war that had yet to see any real battle.

Jack pulled away from Daniel gently, despite the fact that the younger man whimpered at the loss. That was hard to ignore but he needed air and space to think about what this all meant for him. Yes he was married to Daniel and they had two children together but with the sudden onset of these Awakened Magis, how much claim did they really have on the twins. The spirits within made them more Vannas than human and what could he possibly do for them that would help them as they grow up?

Jack slipped on a sweater and his boots, leaned down one more time to kiss Daniel on the temple, “Where you going?” he mumbled, still mostly asleep.

“For a walk, I will be back soon.”

Daniel nodded into the pillow even as he went back to sleep. Jack smiled a little, loving that man more and more with each waking minute. He slipped out of the room only to find out that it was still mid day, the stress of the babies had screwed up his inner clock. He ignored Sam and Teal’c who were giving him looks; he didn’t want to deal with it right now so he kept on walking. Out the door and down the stairs to pull open the front door and slipped outside. He headed towards the training arena, since it was an area of the Valley he knew well enough to wander aimlessly around and not get lost in the process. Zarkina had warned them more than once not to wander around all over the island because there were going to be Vannas who don’t understand why humans were in the Valley. He had yet to really be victimized for said reason but he wasn’t keen on the idea of pushing the issue. The walk took several minutes and he used that time to look around at the life happening all over the Valley, people playing outside, mock duels going on by little boys and arguments rising in volume just before the making up ensues. The Vannas life was not so different from the one they left behind but it was the magic crap that made him feel so out of touch with reality. Before they decided to go through with the surrogacy the only reason it didn’t make a difference was because their children were not supposed to have a lot of power, they would be human with a dash of magic, but now everything was different.

He arrived at the arena only to groan and start to turn around when he saw William and Steph working out with a few of the other protectors including the Greer brothers. Jack could not stand the King, they had similar personalities and it made them not very good friends or even acquaintances.

“Jack?” William called out.

He groaned and turned back around, “Yes Your Majesty?”

“Jack, why are you not with Daniel and the babies?” William asked, worry lacing his tone. Jack was surprised that the man cared enough to be worried.

“They are sleeping and I can do nothing to help them through this, there is nothing I can do in this place!”

William frowned at Jack’s angry outburst. He walked closer to Jack and motioned away from the other men. They sat down on the first bleacher type bench and William waited for Jack to speak.

“Look, I know you don’t care for me or my friends and family, why would you even talk to me? You are jealous of Daniel and your wife’s relationship,” Jack hissed, not understanding what this was. There was no reason for William to be kind to them, Jack and Daniel were under the care of his wife and he’d never even talked to Jack before unless he absolutely had to.

“Jack listen, you are right. I was jealous of Daniel, I didn’t understand the connection she had with all of you but I do now. She loves him but she’s in love with me as she always has been. I don’t need to be jealous of that, now why are you here and not with your family?”

“I can’t do this, here in this world I can do nothing for my family. I can do nothing to protect Danny or the twins from this magic crap, it has taken our children over and now what can we possibly give to them that some Vannas would be better for them?”

 William sighed, leaning forward and clasping his hands together in contemplation. Jack waited for his response, wondering how much flak he was going to get from the King, the younger man did love to berate Jack any time he got the chance, this was not why he came down here. He mostly wanted to fight with someone, release some of the pent up tension that was tearing him apart inside.

“Jack, you and Daniel are the only ones capable of loving them and teaching them how to be good people, to be good magical people. You are the only ones capable of teaching them not to use magic when there is another way. Sometimes Vannas take their powers for granted, to take the easy way sometimes is so effortless but it doesn’t have to be the only way. You and your team have brought that other way to us again. That is not nothing.”

Jack wondered how the Queen and King always said the right thing, to make any of them feel better about their place here.

“Maybe it is because we care and listen to our subjects,” Zarkina said as she walked up behind Jack and placed a gentle hand on Jack’s shoulder. She moved to lean against William’s side.

“I really wish you wouldn’t sneak into my thoughts like that,” Jack groused.

“I wouldn’t except Zara loves your thoughts, she finds them interesting and humorous.”

“Weird,” Jack stated and looked around the arena so she wouldn’t have to focus on either of the royal couple before him. It was like sitting naked in front of them, vulnerable to them because they could read his thoughts and they knew his insecurities. It all made him not feel like the hard-ass Colonel Jack O’Neill who was able to kill at the command of a superior officer and lead his team into and out of close calls with the best of leaders.

He was just a man, an unworthy man who couldn’t be the husband and father Daniel and the twins needed him to be.

“Jack, go back to Daniel and see for yourself that those babies belong to the both of you. They have been given a destiny none of you were ready for but it does not take them away from you,” Zarkina said.

Jack glared at her, “You would speak of wisdom and acceptance but you are a hypocrite! You demanded preparedness and strategy but you have no intention of ever ending this stalemate and guerilla warfare with the other side. Stop preaching until you practice some of your wisdom.”

Zarkina frowned at him, “I did not know you felt this way, that what you do is so unnecessary.”

Jack stood, backing away from the queen quickly who could see through all his anger and uncertainty. “Knock it off!”

“I cannot when you are so uncertain of your place here,” Zarkina responded.

He moved away from the couple quickly, walking away even as they shouted for him to come back. He could not continue to allow these people to change his mind, to change who he was with their words.

Jack did not turn back towards the castle; he walked away from Daniel and the babies in anger. He didn’t know how to go back to Daniel when he was so unsure of who he really was in this new place. How could he be the man Daniel fell in love with when he was much more a housewife than anything else. He seemed to be the one to raise the children while Daniel earned a living and taught others with his seemingly infinite wisdom.

As he continued to walk he found himself in unfamiliar territory and for once, he was pleased with the strangeness. There had to be a way for him to make himself useful in this world and while he is a protected child of the Queen then he will never find his place. He hoped Daniel would understand this need for a change even though they had spoken about Jack not being a part of battle soon after they were married.

He continued walking, sometimes quickly but sometimes at a more leisurely pace. All he knew was that hours later, he found himself drawn back towards the castle when he felt Daniel at the edge of his mind. Daniel was reaching through the bond they created on the day of their wedding, though they weren’t magical it seemed to give them a link to which they could sense one another’s surface emotions. Daniel was curious as to where Jack was and all he wanted to do was reassure his young husband.

Then he stopped again, “No! I need to find me, not become Mrs. Daniel Jackson,” he growled.

He turned again and found himself surrounded by Vannas, some around the Queen’s age and others who were younger, in their late teens and early twenties. “What are you looking at?”

“You must be one of the Queen’s humans, what are you doing out of the protection of the castle?”

“Just walking, its free to walk correct?” Jack demanded.

“You are not a Vannas, you are an interloper whether the Queen trusts you or not. We take care of our own on this island and you are not one of them,” another man hissed in response.

Jack leaned back on one leg and got ready to defend himself. He didn’t have to wait long for the attack. One then the next and more and more until he was collapsing to the ground and that did not stop the attack. He could feel kicks to his back and sides, one got him across the temple and the pain became overwhelming instead of localized. His vision whited behind his lids and he heard someone scream for them to stop. Jack felt the kicks recede and he let himself fall into unconsciousness, hoping that he would be alive long enough to apologize to Daniel who didn’t deserve the trouble Jack was always causing him.

“Danny,” he husked under his breath, never knowing why the kicks stopped.


	12. Waking Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel left behind again.

Daniel knew Jack had walked out a while ago but was surprised when he woke to find him still gone. He looked over and found Zale and Zada moving in the most beautiful normal way. He stood from the bed and moved over to quickly change them into fresh diapers and clothing before he grabbed two bottles and fed Zada first since Zale was still happily gurgling on the bed next to his father and sister. He sat quietly, and listened to her feelings and thoughts. For the first time in days he didn’t sense the other that had been plaguing his daughter. She was happily eating and loving her daddy which loving curled her into his arm and told her how much he loved her in return.

After she was done eating and he burped her Daniel settled her down next to his leg before lifting Zale from the bed and repeating the process. Once again he listened to the beautiful rhythm of his sons emotions and enjoyed the love and sending love to his son as well. After days of uncertainty, it was wonderful having his happy children back and wished Jack was here to see it.

Again he wondered where Jack was and why he wasn’t here before the twins awoke.

He knew that there had always been a link between them and he touched on the thin ribbon and called out for Jack. All he could do was hope that Jack could feel the love and request he come home.

He felt the anger surge then a slight tremor of fear, which led into the dull throbbing of pain. He laid Zale down gently and moved to the door. He called out to Samantha, “Please call out to someone, I think Jack’s hurt!”

Samantha rushed out the door, leaving Jacob with Teal’c. Daniel felt nothing from Jack, whatever link was there slipped away and he looked down at the symbol on the inside of his left wrist but the shimmering silver was still solid and glittering so Jack was still alive.

“Dammit Jack, why are you always searching for trouble when it finds us without any help?”

He ran frustrated hands through his hair and turned back to the bed where the twins were grappling at each other, searching out only to hold onto each other’s little delicate fingers. He smiled at them sweetly, wishing that Jack could be happy here with them just as he was.

Daniel was not an idiot, he understood Jack better than anyone ever could. The power of their children changed the stakes and Jack was not certain of his place and worth. Daniel knew of his extraordinary worth but it seemed Daniel was not able to convince him.

“Daniel, Jack was attacked on the far side of the island but we cannot find him.”

He turned and looked at Sam who was panting a little from where ever she had run from. “Why does he do this to us Sam?”

She reached out and walked across the room to fold Daniel into her arms. “He will be alright, you know the Colonel. He’s tough and able to get through anything.”

“We just got our children back and he ran away, thinking that he is not enough for us!”

“Daniel, he’ll come back to you. He loves you.”

He nodded but a part of him didn’t really believe it anymore. This place had done so much to change Jack and Daniel had done no better, demanding the military man to give up the fight and that was one of the few things Jack knew how to do. It was unfair of Daniel to allow his fear to dictate Jack’s life when he demanded Jack let go of the control of Daniel.

“I am a hypocrite, I don’t know how he can possibly love me.”

Sam’s arms squeezed around his shoulder and he pulled away with a watery smile as the twins started to fuss. He nodded to Sam and turned to care for his children. They would have to come first, not the fear and not the agony of not knowing how Jack was doing.

“We’re going to be okay no matte if Daddy Jack is here or not.”

Sam frowned at Daniel’s sad words. She didn’t know what to do to reassure him and she wondered if she had the right to give him hope that may turn false before the end. It was true that Jack and Daniel had this amazing love for each other and they were blessed to find themselves in the world they lived in now but it did not stop the fear that seemed to do so much damage inside Jack.

She walked out to walk over and curl up close to Teal’c, she leaned over to kiss her son on the head and leaned into the kiss she received at the temple from her husband. “O’Neill will find his way back to us, to Daniel Jackson. Samantha you must have faith in this.”

She nodded but just like Daniel, she was suffering from a crisis of faith in her leader.

 

It had been a while since Jack had received such a beating. He woke to the dull throb all over his chest and down his back; the pain in his head was a vibrant staccato beating in his head. “Oh god, that’s a powerful hurt.”

“Please lie still, the healers will come soon and you can return to the castle,” a lovely redheaded woman told Jack from the side of his bed. She wore a deep green dress with gold accents across the waist and down the front of her skirt. She had her long sleeves pushed up so the wet and cool cloth could be laid across Jack’s forehead in soothing strokes.

“Where am I?” Jack husked quietly, aware that talking only made his head hurt worse.

“We are at my place of residence, on the edge of the village. I was able to stop the beating and pull you away from further harm.

“Why would you help me when you must understand why they were beating me?” Jack asked, curious and wary.

“Because I could help you and maybe you could return the favor. You could pass along what I have done for the Queen’s beloved pet.”

“I am not a pet and why would you me to pass along anything for you?”

“Because I have been told never to return to the castle. I was made an outcast among my people.”

Jack frowned, “Why?” he demanded.

She said nothing, reaching down and holding Jack still. She didn’t have to work all that hard since Jack was badly injured still. “You will do my bidding now, this is a gift from an old friend.”

She leaned down and kissed Jack poorly on the lips and he jerked away, spitting off to the side, “Don’t touch me!” he hissed at her.

“I no longer have to, I was hoping to sink my teeth into that handsome husband of yours but this may work as well. You can become a wonderful spy for me, Winter Merrick.”

Jack frowned, that name struck a cord in him. The girl who had been after Daniel, the others had done everything in their power to protect Daniel but Jack in his infinite stupidity had walked away from the protection that he took for granted and now realized he should have waited, to become more aware of the possible danger. Now he was going to be used to hurt the people who cared for him. He moved to sit up, clearing his facial expression into a neutral mask and then as Winter stayed close he used her trust in the spell to head butt her before jerking off the bed. Thankfully she must have done something to lessen the pain because he was capable of movement and he ran from the building he was in. Winter shouted after him and he looked back momentarily to see the blood trickling down her cheeks and chin from her nose where his forehead struck her. He needed to get as far away from her as he could before the desire to do as she commanded took over, he knew not to take spell talk as joking or figurative statements, if she believed he would become a slave and a spy then that’s what she planted with that sloppy kiss.


	13. Jumping Ship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boys are still separated, hopefully not for long.

Jack refused to go home, not when the spell was wrapping itself around his thoughts, making him wish to return to the spell caster, Winter had indeed infected him but in a moment that would at least be much harder to accomplish, leaving the Island of the Vannas would mean that his ‘master’ and him were separated as well as he would be far enough away from Zarkina and the Vannas, not to mention Daniel and their children.

He had spent much of the last seven days since being infected trying not to think of his beautiful Danny or the twins. When he thought of them, all he wanted was to return to them and beg forgiveness.

“Are you sure you do not wish to say goodbye to your Daniel?” Damnation asked, he had come at Jack request. It had taken him several days to find someone willing to contact the leader of the Infidels for Jack, but finally his young friend had answered.

“I can’t see him otherwise I will lose my nerve to leave, I can feel the damn desire to return to her!”

“You do realize you are walking away from the only person to ever fight the control of this curse you are under. Zarkina survived it and undoubtedly she could unburden you from it.”

Jack nodded, “If I come into contact with Zarkina, undoubtedly Winter will find a way to utilize my closeness. I need distance and training to deal with this world and that has only been magnified in me since she cursed me.”

Damnation nodded his understand, the hair at the front of his face which still obscured the view of his face shifted with his movement. Then before Jack could even contemplate bracing himself they were off the island with a snap and just outside the barrier of the Infidel camp. Jack nodded his thanks and turned away from the other man.

“Now where are you going?” Damnation demanded, chasing after Jack who was moving quickly into the dark green depths of the forest.

“I cannot live among the people that Zarkina care deeply for, she will only find a way to used the information. I have lived on my own without provisions before, I can do it again. Maybe I can even learn how to combat the crazy of this world.”

Damnation growled in frustration and walked over to a large tree with a deep hole in the base of the stump. From the hole he pulled a deep brown leather pack with a sword attached to it. “This is an emergency kit, there is a dagger inside as well as a spare set of clothing and some dried meats and a pouch that you can feel with water but be aware sometimes the water can have a strange effect on people.”

Jack saluted smartly, “Thank you for doing more than you needed to.”

“So when can I tell Zarkina?” Damnation asked, crossing his arms in a supposedly menacingly stance which no longer worked on Jack because he’d met Damnation’s half sister the queen who was much scarier.

“I’d rather you didn’t but I understand that Zarkina is undoubtedly getting plenty of flack from Daniel,” Jack couldn’t help but smile a little about that. Danny could be a pit bull especially about anyone messing with his family. “Just don’t tell her for seven days.”

“You are lucky I would be willing to give you a day,” he said with a snort.

“Four days,” Jack counter offered.

“Three and that’s my only choice for you,” Damnation said and Jack nodded, reaching out to grasp his opposite arm around the forearm to give a shake before he started moving again. He slung the pack over his shoulders and strapped the sword to his waist tightly and actually felt a little better when it kept moving with him, which forced Jack to place a palm over the hilt of the weapon to still the rubbing.

This was going to be a trial by fire, and hopefully it would give him enough heat to burn the curse from his heart.

 

There was no other way to explain it, the twins were unhappy with Jack’s absence. The first two days they seemed to not realize something else was going on, then day three they were crying, screaming or sleeping. And they didn’t want anyone but Daniel to hold them. He had basically locked himself in his bedroom with enough milk and diapers so they wouldn’t have to leave for a while. He did it partially out of hope that they wouldn’t bother the other family in the apartment as Samantha and Jacob still needed rest and recuperation time from Jacob’s early birth.

The other reason was when the babies were asleep, Daniel was curled in his bed shocked that once again Jack was gone. This time it seemed that Jack left of his own violation and then was injured but after that they had heard nothing from him or about him. Mostly he kept Zada and Zale in the bed with him, gently rubbing their back or belly depending on how they were sleeping, other times while they were whimpering or screaming he would cuddle them and tell them that Jack would be home soon. He hoped the words weren’t false hope for all of them but his voice calmed them most of the time and when it didn’t then he would just slip them into their bassinets and walk out into the living area for a little bit of separation. He didn’t want to let his frustration out on the children so he took breaks when he needed to. Sam and Teal’c would frequently stand in the room, watching over the children as he took walks and ate every once in a while but Daniel couldn’t seem to care about food or anything besides the twins while Jack was gone. He worried about them and worried about Jack and didn’t really think about himself in the days that followed Jack’s disappearance.

As he laid down in bed, the twins both next to him with their kicking feet against his side and stomach gently. Daniel watched them and touched them gently, a brush across the stomach or the soft downy of the other’s hair when the door opened. He looked over to see Zarkina walk in and she climbed into the bed beside his feet and touched his leg gently. Daniel turned back to watching the babies, completely ignoring her. As per usual, Zarkina took no offense at his behavior of course she dealt with Jack on a daily basis anything Daniel did would still be polite compared to his husband.

“I know you are once again suffering his absence but I have been speaking to Vane and he told me that Jack has traveled to the mainland. I have a couple people leaving to see if they can jump on his trail. I need you to see them and give them something to search for. If you share something of your bond then they can use it to track him. They wish to be on their way as soon as possible so can Samantha come and sit with the twins?”

Daniel nodded silently before he stood and called out for Sam at the door. His friend immediately came and he turned back when Zada started to whimper in her sleep. Zarkina set a hand on each baby and she whispered to it gently as she closed her eyes. Daniel crossed his arms and just watched the woman in curiosity. Zarkina heaved a gentle sigh and traded places with Sam before gesturing for Daniel to leave the bedroom. He could not, first leaning down to kiss each child on the forehead and then did as Zarkina requested. “What were you doing with them?”

“Checking on their Magis, who seem to be content with the status quo.”

Daniel nodded, thankful that their children were going to be okay and he could focus for a few minutes on Jack. They walked out into the hallway and there stood Kirkan Greer and a few other men, most of which Daniel knew were training with Teal’c and Jack but did not take his classes so he didn’t personally know them. He looked into Kirkan’s dark brown eyes, so like Jack’s that it made Daniel want to weep, “Bring him home please?” he pleaded.

Kirkan reached out and pressed his hand to Daniel’s neck and cheek. He could feel the other man reaching into his mind and heart and Daniel did what he could to think about Jack and the love they shared. It brightened in his mind and Kirkan made an exclamation of success before he pulled away from the gentle but firm contact, “I will find him Daniel, I promise.”


	14. A New Fighter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack makes a new friend and keeps surviving off island.

Jack didn’t know anymore how much time had passed since he ran away from the island, how many creatures and Bounty Hunters he’d come across and incapacitated or killed. The Hunters only in the daytime but the beasts, of clear scientific origin had to be killed otherwise they would have killed him. The first had been a creature that had the body of a scorpion and the head of a snake. It was the ugliest thing Jack had ever seen, not to mention the thing stood about four feet high, not counting the arch of its supposedly deadly stinger. He slept lightly in trees or caves, keeping an ever-vigilant ear out for more monsters or hunters.

He had been injured on more than one occasion but it seemed that the Hunters were now gunning for him, Jack knew that his appearance in the forest meant that he could possibly be captured and used against the Vannas but even so he didn’t want to kill the human hunters who came for him so many times he would knock them out and string them to a tree, where someone would find him later or the monsters would receive easy food. It didn’t really matter to Jack, as long as he didn’t betray the Queen or Daniel. He wondered if the curse he was under might have gained its strength from proximity because as soon as he was off the island, the desperate need to return to Winter dissipated but he did want to go home to Danny and the twins.

Even so, this isolation from his family had taught him one thing was certain; Jack was still more than capable of taking care of himself. He was still an assassin, trained by the US Military and more than able to take on small groups of attackers and surprisingly he had not come across any other Vannas that he would have to explain his presence and his constant battling of the human Hunters that kept coming for him.

Jack settled against the trunk of a large tree to take a short rest before he continued on. He pulled some cooked meat that he had taken from one of the many creatures that attacked him during the night. It had been more like a predator, with lion-like qualities and a tough hide that had almost gotten Jack killed before he found the creatures weakness just behind the ear. He still had a three claw mark across his stomach for his trouble.

From what Zarkina had once told them of the creatures, supposedly they only ever attacked Vannas, sensing the magic within but there was no magic in Jack. He wondered if the curse had left him with a magical homing beacon for the monsters to track but had no one to question, he was just forced to fight and stay alive.

It had been about three days since he’d seen Damnation so the other man had likely gotten a hold of the Queen by now. Daniel would now that he’d left the Valley and would wonder why, Jack knew his lover better than he knew himself sometimes and he wished that he had never cause Daniel this pain.

He was pulled from his thoughts when there was a rustle in the woods, Jack heaved himself to his feet and pulled the dagger from his boot, waiting for whatever came at him. It was daytime so at least he wouldn’t be fighting the larger than life creatures that came for him after the sun went down. Another Hunter, though it had only been a few hours since he tied the last one up, and they were usually less dedicated than that.

He would have never expected the creature that did leap from the underbrush, he cursed and tried in vain to move farther away and give him a chance to survive the attack. What was before him, staring him down with deep emerald eyes was a tiger like creature only it was about chest high at the withers. Jack cursed and jerked at the sword at his side so he was doubly armed but he felt sorely inadequately capable of dealing with this new threat. He had no idea there were more natural wildlife to be found here, predators that could eat him during the day when the creatures were nowhere to be found.

Those green eyes never left Jack’s face, and he barely had time to notice the creature was white with tan stripes, not exactly like a tiger but close enough to have come from the predator.

_You not hunter…_

Jack frowned, where had that come from. The words sounded childlike but he was pretty sure there was no one else around. He didn’t dare move his gaze from the tiger to check though.

_Hunter?...._

The voice was there again and Jack thought maybe as the tiger tilted his head in an inquisitive way that maybe Jack did know where the voice was coming from, “I’m not a hunter, who is talking to me?”

_You kill the awful creatures?_

“The monsters, yes I destroy them when they try to kill me, who is speaking to me?” he wanted to know just how crazy he was going, talking to a tiger.

_You are friend, Not eat you._

“What are you?”

The tiger’s head tilted the other way as if confused by Jack’s words but as the large predator sat down on its haunches, Jack relaxed but retained his weapons in hand. _I am Taj. Was named by powerful friend, pretty lady._

Jack wondered about who that was, undoubtedly the queen. That lady seemed to get along with everyone. “Taj, how are you communicating in my head?”

_Pretty lady did something, now I talk to others. Have looked for friends, those who would kill the creatures. I found you._

Jack continued to watch the large cat but he did lower his weapons, still waiting for the predator to decide he was hungry enough to kill Jack after all. Taj just continued to watch him, but he settled down even more, laying down slowly and pressing his big face into his front paws. “You friend?” Jack questioned gently.

_Yes, friend._

“Okay then, my name is Jack.”

_Jack is friend._

With that the large cat closed his eyes and proceeded to go to sleep, Jack leaned against the tree he had been taking his rest against, leaning down to grab a little more cooked meat, when Taj perked at the smell Jack tossed a piece over and Taj caught it in the air. It was miniscule in comparison to the creature’s mouth but Taj took it and settled his head back on his paws once more.

_Thank you Jack-friend._

Jack nodded and nibbled on his food, watching the slumbering giant. He would not deny that he thought the tiger would still attack him but for now all he could do was wait and see. Every time he shifted or moved, Taj would rouse and make like he would follow Jack so staying still seemed like the best way to not be eaten by the tiger.

There were no other interlopers on the space Jack now shared with Taj, no hunters and as night fell Jack stood to start moving once more. It was the best way to stay alive in these woods, sleep during the day and fight through the night. Taj heaved himself to stand as Jack did and he started moving on a direction, and the tiger continued next to him.

“Are you to be my friend then? Follow me wherever I go?”

_Jack-friend fights the monsters, I help._

Jack nodded though he didn’t understand how the creature could possibly need anyone’s help. They just walked, Jack keeping an ever watchful eye on the forest around them and it seemed for the first time since he came to this forest, the eyes of the monsters watched but they did not attack. They stayed away from Jack and his new companion.

“They fear you?” he asked the large cat.

_I tear them apart. I not prey for them._

“You want me to go after them? Take the fight to them?” Jack demanded, enjoying the respite but wondering how long it would be till the tiger decided that if Jack wasn’t going to kill the creatures then he was of no use to Taj.

_I wish them dead._

“Was that a yes?”

_You fight when you wish them dead._

“Okay then,” Jack responded. He must be pretty desperate for conversation if talking to a horse sized tiger wasn’t bothering him. He missed Daniel and twins so much he could taste it, a sickening after taste to his words and breath. For now he would thank some godlike creature that the tiger didn’t want to eat him today and since he’d run out of meat that evening, they might as well hunt for a creature that he could cut apart and utilize the meat. “Let’s go kill something then.”

Taj growled appreciatively and Jack led the way.


	15. Winter Has Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and the kids suffering in Jack's absence.

Daniel could feel the kids losing hope for their father, every time he touched them the sorrow was so deep it almost brought Daniel to his knees. He kept them on some kind of normal schedule, but they were restless so much of the time. Daniel found himself unwilling to leave them anymore, he left the door open when he had to use the facilities, had stopped showering a couple days before and each child had cried till they were hoarse. Now when they cried, is was a sad hollow sound but the tears on their faces were still there as he’d done what he could to keep them eating and hydrated. Sam and Teal’c had stopped leaving him alone, someone was always in the living room, just hoping he would call for help.

But he didn’t.

Zarkina came and laid with them once a day, soothing them into a deep sleep, as it was the only time any of them were resting anymore, needing help to do so. It was during one of these naps when someone entered the room while Sam had gone to put her son down to sleep and Zarkina was not with Daniel.

She walked into the room, gripping a dagger tightly in one hand. She walked closer to the bed, looking down at the twins who were twitching in sleep and Daniel had a gently hand on each of them. She didn’t really know who was going to be at the mercy of her wrath, how could that curse have failed her so completely? All she knew was that she was going to have some revenge if she was never going to get into the castle that was rightfully hers.

Reaching out she wrapped a hand around Daniel’s throat and pressed the blade into the side of his neck as he opened his eyes and glared up at her, “What are you doing?”

“You and your desperate need to protect your lover, it forced me to change my plans. When I found those guys beating Jack, I took him in and decided to use him instead. Instead of becoming infatuated with me, he left the freaking island! What is it with you and your wretched team that are so set against being utilized by anyone other than the false queen!”

He didn’t answer, figuring she wasn’t done ranting yet. He glanced at the door, realizing she’d left it open in her urgency to get to him on the bed. The twins were still resting but Zale was starting to shift and stretch in his sleep, warning everyone he was about to wake.

He used everything he had to reach out to Jack, his husband was probably too far away to do anything but maybe it would bring Jack home to take care of their children. He now understood why Jack had left, it was to protect them from whatever this woman did to him.

“Get away from my children!” he hissed at her but groaned when she pressed the blade into his skin enough to break it and a trickle of blood slid from the cut.

“This is going to be easier than I ever imagined,” Winter sneered and grabbed the nearest child who was Zale. Daniel’s son jerked awake and screeched, after sleeping and resting had brought the power of his little lungs back to full force. Daniel jerked into a sitting position, keeping a gently hand on Zada but his eyes on the woman holding his child. The dagger was not near Zale at the moment but she was struggling to hold him still and that was frightening enough.

The crying brought Sam from the other room as well as Teal’c but they stayed on the outside of the bedroom when Winter gripped Zale tight enough that it choked off his unpleasant wails. Then the dagger came close to his beautiful son’s neck and Daniel saw red. He stood up, reluctantly releasing his hold on Zada who was squirming in annoyance as she woke up and realized her daddy’s emotions were all over the map and negative, she didn’t like it. Her little whimpers tripped into crying as well and the racket was making Winter nervous.

“Don’t do this, Winter,” Daniel said calmly. He moved a little closer to the woman who was shifting so she could try to keep her gaze on everyone but as she was doing so, she was putting herself more deeply in the bedroom in which there was no escaping from. On the second floor of the castle, they had windows but there were bars across the opening so no one could sneak in or out.

“You have no idea what kind of life I have lived, what Akina and her family has put me through, you know Akina’s story and her version of events. How could you possibly understand that she is not supposed to be in charge.”

Daniel frowned, “She was the daughter of the queen, how could that possibly mean she’s not supposed to be queen?” he demanded.

“Because the throne should have transferred to her son, moving through the male line and I was betrothed to him. That means that this life she had here was stolen from me!”

“You know that’s not true, Winny,” William whispered as he pushed past Teal’c and Sam. It was surprising to not see Zarkina coming to the rescue, William never spent enough time with them to be the one riding in to save them from various Vannas drama such as this.

“William, you were given something you never wanted. She was given something she never wanted, I wanted this destiny.”

“Destiny is not about who wants it,” William took another step towards Winter but Daniel whimpered as Winter tightened her hold on Zale and the blade got an inch closer to his side. William stopped and held his hands up in surrender and Winter calmed. Daniel kept his eyes on Zale who in turn was watching Daniel. There was such intelligence in thos eyes for a child who was just over five weeks old. He was scared, Daniel could see that as well but he seemed to understand stillness would ensure his survival better than squirming around would.

“Just give Zale back to his father, come and speak with Akina and myself, we can work through this without anyone getting hurt,” William said calmly. Daniel just kept watching his son, wishing he could hold him and soothe the fear in his eyes, the uncertainty that he’d been feeling ever since Jack left.

“Zale, I’m right here ok buddy. You’re going to be ok,” he whispered, trying not to bother the woman holding Zale but at the same time soothe his little boy, at the same time feel like he was doing something. Jack would have already gotten Zale away from Winter, had he been here. He wouldn’t have been taking medicated rests either.

“Stop it Daniel, if you had just started tutoring me, this would have all been over with and your son wouldn’t be in danger right now.”

“Winter, you know that Daniel and Jack and their family have been close with Akina ever since they got here, there was no way we were going to let you curse him. You need to let go of Zale otherwise your punishment is going to be much more severe.”

Winter seemed unsure of what she should do, her grip on the dagger was loosening but it was still too close to Zale to move against her, or so Daniel thought. He watched as some sort of blue bubble wrapped tightly around Zale and William lunged even as Winter struck with the blade. Daniel screamed, hearing the sound echoed in his mind and from Sam still standing outside the door. He moved across the room, afraid to see the blood covering his son only to find Zale in pristine, if not confused tucked in William’s arms. He reached out shaking hands and William handed Zale over delicately even as he was jerking Winter to her feet. Daniel was turning away from the siblings when he felt a sharp pain in his side. Gasping in shock, he stumbled forward and laid Zale on the bed gently and reached down to find Winter’s dagger sticking out of him. He looked back at William, glaring at the man before he stumbled to his knees, watching as the king handed Winter over to some guards who were waiting and Sam, crying moved to stand with the children as Teal’c jerked Daniel from the ground and headed out at William’s insistence. He didn’t know where he was going, hoping it was to be healed so he could get back to his traumatized son.

~~~ 

On the mainland, in the midst of a fight with the hunters Jack felt the stab in his gut and the fear in his head, falling to his knees as he gripped his side. “Danny,” he whispered. Taj thankfully leapt forward and shoved the hunter back before the bumped against Jack, forcing the man to grip at the thick fur and allow the cat to push him onto his back. Jack’s pain whited his vision for a second before it dissipated, as it wasn’t his and realized Taj was carrying him as the tiger ran through the forest.

“Home,” Jack whispered close to the big cat’s ear.

_Camp?_

“Yes, they will get me back to Danny,” Jack husked and just held on. He didn’t really know what he was going to do about the curse but Daniel needed him, it wasn’t about hurt feelings anymore. That had been a deep physical pain and Daniel was hurt.

Taj moved quickly, finding his way easily by Jack’s trail as well as whoever was following him for the last couple of days. They had not caught up with him yet and possibly Taj’s presence had kept them at bay.

He was grateful for the cat, Taj had been with him for several days now. It had convinced Jack that the predator had no desire to eat Jack, just the monsters, they hunted them together at night and Taj didn’t kill hunters at Jack’s request. It was an odd companionship but one Jack had learned to enjoy and not take for granted.

They were moving so fast; Jack didn’t realize how quickly they would be on the outskirts of the camp of Damnation. Jack called out even as Taj growled loudly, the sound reverberating off the trees and space around them.

Then Damnation was there staring in confusion and just a little bit of awe at Taj with Jack on his back, “I need to get back on the island.”

“So I should stop sending your followers on wild chases?”

Jack frowned, “Yes thank you.”

He jumped down from Taj’s downy soft back and patted his friend along his shoulder. “You ready then?” Damnation asked, flipping his hair back and reaching out for Jack. Taj stepped forward and pushed Jack away from Damnation. Jack laughed, “No Taj, this is a friend. He is sending me back to my Danny.”

_Send us._

Jack frowned, “No Taj, you should stay here with the rest of your kind. Plus what am I gonna do with a horse sized pet?”

_You family, me go with._

Jack sighed; figuring arguing with such a creature would possibly be painful. He had to admit, having such a protector would definitely get them into their own place faster. There is no way Taj was going to let them send him from Jack and he was going to be too big for the castle, let alone SG1’s apartment.

“Ok Taj,” he turned to Damnation, “Send us home, as close to the castle as possible please?”

Jack placed a comforting hand on Taj and Damnation touched Jack and before he could breath in they were moved through space. Jack looked around to find them in the throne room, “I didn’t mean quite that close, I am traveling with a very large cat here.” He said with a groan as people in the room started to panic though it was a pretty understated response, undoubtedly Vannas were not as worried about animals as humans always are.

“It’s ok, he’s my friend,” Jack hollered and everyone settled again. He took no extra time while Damnation turned to speak to someone who grabbed his attention before he was running out of the room with Taj right behind him. The pain in his side was now a dull ache to remind him of his reason for rushing back even as the curse was gathering steam inside his head.

Taj was still following and as they squeezed into the apartment, Jack calmed everyone about the tiger’s presence and turned to the cat, “Stay here, I need to see my family.”

_Me stay._

Jack patted Taj on the head gently then ran into his bedroom, finding Sam holding a distraught Zale and Teal’c holding Zada and Jacob in his huge but gentle arms. “What happened?”

They turned to him when he spoke, “Sir!” Sam responded. It was strange to hear that salutation after the months that they had been going by Jack and Sam.

“O’Neill, Daniel was attacked by Winter and he was stabbed. I took him to the healers.”

“I need to see him, where is he?” Jack demanded.

Teal’c held out Zada who was reaching for Jack. Zale had calmed at the sound of his voice and was struggling against Sam’s hold. Jack took Zada and kissed her gently on the forehead and she snuggled into his shoulder and he reached out with his free hand to Zale and Sam settled his son against Jack’s chest. He held them and soothed them with his words and touch for a few minutes before he looked again to Teal’c beseechingly. “Please?”

Teal’c handed Jacob to Sam and moved towards the door, stopping at the sight of the large tiger sitting in the middle of the room between them and the door. Jack heard the cat purr a little out loud.

_I stay Jack-friend._

“I know Taj, you’re a good boy. I will return soon, stay here.”

_I stay._

Teal’c walked around the large cat slowly and led Jack out of the apartment and towards the room where they ended up when injured. Teal’c opened the door for Jack whose hands were still full of suddenly quiet and content children. Daniel was on the bed, blood smears all over the white sheets and down the side of his pants and shirt.

“Danny?” Jack called out. The healer was leaning over Daniel and touching his skin gently. The younger man looked over at Jack and smiled, his skin a pasty color, showing how much blood he’d lost.

Jack desperately wanted to go to him, to wrap his hands around Daniel’s and touch his face. It had been days, over a week since he left and Daniel needed him.

“Jack.” Daniel’s voice sighed his name.

“Hey love, I would hold you but clearly I have run out of arms.”

Daniel smiled tiredly, “We missed you.”

“Master Jack,” the healer said, pulling Jack’s attention from Daniel, “He is going to be fine, some bed rest to build up his blood once more then he will be his old self. Please, he needs to be silent and still for me.”

Jack smiled at the young woman who was politely telling him to get lost, “I hear you.” He turned back to Daniel, “I love you Danny and I promised I will explain everything.”

Daniel shook his head, “You don’t need to.”

At that point Teal’c pulled him away and towards their room once more. Jack settled into the couch and clicked his tongue at Taj who was still standing guard next to the door. Sam was standing, staring at Taj from his bedroom, having not left at first sight of the big predator hanging in their apartment. Teal’c went and took Sam’s hand, “He is apparently O’Neill’s friend.”

“Story there Sir?” Sam asked.

Jack grinned, “You wanna sit and find out?”

He started talking about his adventure on the mainland. The whole time, hoping to see Daniel hobble back into the room to join them.


	16. Slap Me Silly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel meets Taj and has a nice long chat with Jack.

When Daniel did get back to their room, he was slipped gently into bed and Jack settled the twins into their beds so he could curl up next to Daniel. The younger man pushed Jack away a little and without much strength, he reached out and slapped Jack right across the face.

His head slapped back mostly from shock more than pain and he looked down at Daniel, “I thought you were forgiving me?” he demanded. He could hear Taj growling at the door where the cat had decided to lay since he didn’t fit in the room.

“Taj,” Jack scolded. The growling turned to purring and it gentled into a low level hum in the background.

“Why do we now have a tiger pet?” Daniel husked, Jack couldn’t tell if he was even more annoyed or what.

Jack shrugged, “We became hunting buddies during my time away. Now we’re family, good pet for the kids?”

“A pony sized tiger? Really?”

Another shrug, “Can we talk about the fact that my face stings now?”

Daniel reached out and dragged Jack down and they kissed, their lips smashing together until Jack had a mind to gentle their contact. Jack slipped his tongue inside the warm recess of Daniel’s mouth and wrapped Daniel up against him tightly. Daniel whimpered into his lips and Jack realized his husband was not excited but hurting. He released Daniel and the younger man settled back against the bed.

“Ok it doesn’t sting as badly now,” Jack said with a grin.

“Next time you think you are worthless in this world or family, you talk to me. Next time you think you are going to let some curse hurt me or the people we call our own now, come to me. Do you get the theme I am trying to start here?”

Jack nodded, “Got it Danny. I promise not to leave you ever again if it’s up to me.”

Daniel nodded, “Damn straight. We really need to get a new place if we’re going to keep the fuzzy pony with teeth.”

Taj grumbled in his sleep at Daniel’s words. Jack chuckled at the tiger’s response. “His name is Taj.”

“Hey Taj, welcome to the family,” Daniel mumbled as he tucked his head under Jack’s chin. Jack hugged Daniel gently to him.

_Daniel friend?_

Jack smiled into Daniel’s hair, clearly Daniel either didn’t hear Taj or he wasn’t paying attention. “Yes, Daniel is your friend.”

“Huh?” Daniel mumbled into his chest.

“Taj is talking to me, in my head.”

“Hmm, weird, talk about it in morning,” Daniel muttered and his lips stroked across Jack’s throat which made the Colonel want to shake him awake to kiss him again but Daniel needed to sleep after being hurt. Jack let Daniel slip into an exhausted sleep before he slipped out of the bed and leaned against the end of the bed to watch Zada and Zale sleep. It was good to see them resting comfortably. He leaned forward and touched his daughter, leaning farther over so he could kiss her gently on the forehead, feeling the contentment and joy she felt and reciprocating easily. “I love you baby girl.”

Moving slightly so he could do the same to Zale, he could feel the residual fear but it had been overwhelmed by the security he felt as soon as Jack touched him. “My son, I love you. I promise you will never wonder again where I am if I can help it. I know your daddy probably thinks he’s so silly to love me but I would do anything for your Daddy Daniel and you both.”

With that he turned back to the bed, just in time to see Daniel shut his eyes again, pretending to be asleep. “I saw that Danny.”

Those blues eyes opened to gaze into Jack’s gaze, “It’s good to have you home Daddy Jack.”

Tucked back into bed, Jack hugged Daniel and kissed his hair once more before they both slipped into a deep slumber.

~~~ 

Daniel woke suddenly, couldn’t figure what woke him until he caught sight of Jack walking to the door. Taj, the large cat that apparently befriended Jack was blocking the way, glaring at Jack with a low rumbling growl.

“Jack?” Daniel called, concerned about the predator growling at his husband.

When Jack didn’t answer, Daniel stood and walked over to the older man. He turned Jack towards him, only to find his husband’s eyes blank and staring. Daniel shook Jack’s shoulder vigorously.

“Danny, what?” Jack muttered as he ‘awoke’ then fell to his knees, clearly not aware that he was standing.

“You were trying to leave the bedroom, where were you going?” Daniel asked as he helped Jack back into bed. The Colonel stared at the door in confusion, then some clarity seemed to shine through.

“Oh God, Danny the curse is still inside me. I am still bound to Winter.”

Daniel frowned, “Well we will talk to the queen in the morning and see what she has to say about this.”

“Taj, you’re a good friend do not let me leave this bedroom without Daniel ok?” Jack said to the big cat. Then Jack smiled a little to himself and looked at Daniel, “Taj won’t let me go without you as I have requested.”

“Never figured you for a cat man,” Daniel said with a quiet smile.

Jack chuckled, “Me neither. Get some rest, Danny we will figure this out tomorrow and we can finally get back on some kind of normal schedule again.”

“Sure Jack, until the next time one of us is kidnapped or run away.” Daniel replied then curled down to sleep, ignoring the indignant response from Jack who then laughed as well and held Daniel as close as he could. All Daniel could do was hold on tight, and hope that Jack didn’t get hurt in his need to obey some woman who was holding a magical collar around his neck.

It really did make Daniel mad, like enough to kill. Someone wanted to use them to hurt each other and the protectors who had invited them into their homes, not only that but Winter had almost stabbed his son and she was actually related to the King, his sister was willing to do anything and hurt anyone so she could have some sort of control over Zarkina.

Daniel tried to clear his mind, so he could sleep and soon he did but those thoughts were still there even as he closed his eyes and started to drift.


	17. Revenge or Vengeance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel fights for his man.

Daniel woke with the babies as he’d been doing all the time that Jack was gone. Since they were prone to sleepless nights during his absence, Daniel didn’t get the best sleep ever but he was alert when he fed and changed each child who were still exhausted enough from everything that they fell back to sleep with hardly any encouragement from Daniel.

He looked at Jack, restlessly shifting in bed and wanted to do something, anything for the man that he loved. He walked over to the dresser and opened the top drawer where he stored his undergarments and pulled a short blade from the recesses. Walking to the door, we noticed the tiger’s interested gaze as he moved closer. “Look I am not going to do anything to hurt Jack, I need you to keep him here unless he is clearly himself. Be sure, okay Taj?”

The large cat snuffled and sneezed in what seemed like agreement, he let Daniel pass him if anything. It was going to take some getting used to having a pony-tiger as a pet if Taj decided to stay with them.

It was early enough in the morning that no one was awake; there were a small contingent of maids and cooks moving about downstairs, having already started their work for the day. He knew where he was going, having been down in the dungeon/jail area once before on a random excursion that got waylaid. He found his way down to one of the back staircases and down into the dank recesses of the castle. The stairs were long but soon Daniel found his way down a corridor and went to the only cell that had anyone in it and sure enough there was Winter, his student and the woman who cursed his husband to use Jack as bait.

“Daniel, I was sure someone would come down here to pass on threats and whatever you think might work but I did not expect it to be you. More like that large dark friend or Jack himself.”

“What did you do to my husband?” Daniel asked, ignoring everything she already said.

“I did what I planned for you, he has been cursed to obey me. It seemed to not latch hold as he was able to get off the island before he was completely under the thrall but now that we are very close once more, nothing is going to keep him from doing my will.”

Daniel glared and drew the blade from its sheath and little the surface shimmer and dance in the firelight of the torches along the wall. Interesting enough, the flame did not eat at the wood nor did it smell of burning wood, magical flame that never varied. It was the greatest light Daniel had ever seen.

He looked up and saw the fear flash across Winter’s face. “You will not use such a thing on me, I am a defenseless woman and you are a good man Daniel Jackson and I have no doubt that you would ever hurt me.”

“You forced my husband to leave me and our children because that was a better option to not allowing himself to be used against us. He left and became a hunter for our people.”

“Then why are you here? It has worked out for the best right?”

“You know why I am here, you called for him!” Daniel hissed, anger forcing the confrontation.

Winter grinned, showing her teeth and Daniel wished he could reach through and throttle the woman despite the fact that he didn’t believe in violence.

“Stay away from my family, you call for my husband again and I will kill you for what you did to him and my son.”

“Ah yes, how is little Zale?” Winter said with another horrifying grin.

Daniel gripped the hilt of the blade, his shoulders tensing in desperate need to attack. “He is going to be fine, you couldn’t hurt him.”

“Not this time, what if Jack has been called to do it for me. You cannot watch him all the time. You cannot break the spell.”

“Can you?” Daniel asked.

“Maybe but your question should be will I, in which my answer is no.”

“Daniel!” Zarkina exclaimed, come up next to him as he reached through the bars in a desperate need to catch Winter and undo the damage she had already caused and the possible attacks still to come.

“She cursed Jack, she almost killed my son! Are you going to do anything besides keep her down here where Jack could just release her when she reaches out and pulls his strings!”

Winter grinned and Daniel for the first time in his life wished for a gun so he could shoot the witch!

“Daniel!” Zarkina admonished knowingly so she must have peeked at his thoughts, as she was prone to do.

“What, I mean it. Do something, as the Queen it is your responsibility to make sure such acts as these are punished.” With that, he shook off the Queen’s hold and took off away from Winter before he broke into the cell just to kill her. He could feel the angry tears burning his eyes and knew Zarkina was following him. He didn’t care; he didn’t want to speak to her while his emotions were such a mess.

“Daniel, you must know how difficult it is for me to sentence the sister of my husband.” Zarkina said as she rushed to keep up with Daniel. He continued to walk, continuing up the stairs and into the hall where Zarkina jerked him to a stop and looked into his eyes, “She will be punished, I promise you that Daniel.”

“And Jack? She is calling out to him, using that curse to control him.”

“What are you talking about Daniel?” Zarkina asked.

He frowned, “Winter cursed Jack, to make him a slave to her purpose. He is losing his free will. He got out of bed, heading to her this morning.”

Zarkina turned away, her hand still gripping his arm but it had loosened. He could have shaken her hand off but the Queen seemed genuinely distressed about the news. He didn’t know that he hadn’t told her already of what happened and what led to Jack leaving so abruptly.

“She must have found the same curse that Justin used on me.”

“Justin?” Daniel questioned, always curious.

“That is a long story my dear friend and I am not in the mood for sharing when Jack is indeed in trouble. I have training in breaking curses but it’s not my area of expertise. Please let me speak to William and Steph about Winter and the curse. Keep an eye on Jack and we will hopefully have a quick answer for you.”

“But if you have been cursed like this and you aren’t now, how did you break it?” Daniel demanded, keeping up with Zarkina as she moved towards the front of the castle, heading for the throne room where William was most likely hanging out.

She paused and looked at him, “William’s love and Zara’s stubbornness cracked the control and gave me the chance to fight back. I am magical and as you know curses and such things affect us differently than it would someone like you or Jack.”

Daniel nodded and watched her disappear into the throne room, leaving him to wander upstairs and into the apartment. Jack was pacing the living area with a fussy Zada. Zale was apparently sleeping because he was nowhere to be seen in the room.

“What were you going to do, Danny?” Jack sniped at him as soon as Daniel closed the door behind him.

“Protect our family,” he returned.

“You were seeking revenge, admit it or not but don’t lie to me about things I know better than you ever will!”

“Oh you know all about revenge and vengeance, the government’s assassin, aren’t you? You think I cannot do what must be done, to protect you and our children? You think I am incapable!”

Jack held Zada out to Daniel and he fumbled to catch his daughter before Jack decided to drop her or something. Then with his hands captured in the act of holding the fussy little girl Daniel had no other options besides being pulled into Jack’s arms for a gentle hug and a kiss to his temple. Daniel felt the sudden urge to weep into his husband’s chest. Jack was right; he couldn’t act out on his need for revenge.

“Danny, I need you to be the one who doesn’t do those things, its not that I don’t think your capable of protecting us but I need you to always be the one with a conscience and that amazing heart that leads me better than I can on my own. I don’t know what I would do if you became more like me. I would feel like I failed you.”

Daniel wished Zada wasn’t in his arms at those words; he wanted to hug Jack so bad. “Jack you could never fail me like that. You are one of the finest men I know.” With that, he tucked his head into the crook of Jack’s neck and kissed his throbbing pulse point which is the only reason he felt Jack tensing against him with enough time to shout at someone before Jack’s arm swooped around his throat even as he spun Daniel to face away from Jack’s body. Teal’c ran into the room, Sam clearly was elsewhere at the moment because she didn’t follow.

“O’Neill, what are you doing to Daniel Jackson?” Teal’c demanded in his calm way.

“Teal’c, he was cursed, I think Winter is commanding him.”

“Indeed,” was all Teal’c said and it made Daniel roll his eyes.

“Jack, please let me put down Zada so she won’t be hurt. I don’t care what happens to me as long as the kids are safe.”

“None of you will be safe while I am alive,” a weird female-pitched voice came out of Jack’s mouth. It made Daniel frown and try to move towards the couch so he could place his daughter on the soft surface but Jack’s grip tightened and Daniel tried not to gag around the grip.

_Just hold on Daniel, help is coming!_

Daniel struggling stopped, “What?” he asked the voice.

_I will fix this; please just don’t let anyone get killed before I can accomplish my task._

Clearly the queen had hijacked his thoughts, she’d never done it before since he freaked about the emotional adjustments that Zara used to do to them in the beginning of their new life here. Zarkina understood his problems because of Hathor.

He just stood still, kept Zada from crying out in panic and confusion as well as trying to keep Teal’c from doing anything that might cause Winter to snap Daniel’s neck or do something that would harm anyone in the room.

~~~ 

He had no idea Zarkina was moving through the castle back down to the jail cell where her sister by marriage was grinning at her as she rounded the corner and came into sight.

“Release Jack from this curse now, or suffer the consequences!” she barked out the order.

“What will you do sister? Kill me? Despite the trouble I have been known to cause, my brothers love me and would not want me killed by you.”

“There are worse things I could do than kill you, much worse things,” Akina promised darkly. Zara was watching Daniel and Jack through their mind’s eye with the unknown help from Daniel who made a wonderful conduit for her powers.

William rushed up to stand next to Akina, “Listen and do as she says Winter, I can no longer protect you from this. You are hurting people that are protected allies of the Vannas nation and it is an act of terrorism.”

“Jack is not a Vannas, he is barely human!” Winter sneered.

“He is protected, now let go of his mind!” Akina returned scathingly.

Akina did not want to do what she might have to but as she reached out a hand and gripped it into a clenched fist, Winter’s smile fell away as she felt what Akina was doing to her body. Akina knew what it felt like to have someone magically grasp her heart and it wasn’t a fun experience. Winter gasped as Akina opened her palm and started closing her fingers slowly, tightening her grip on the woman’s organ.

“Let him go or we do this the hard way, you know what kind of damage I can do to your heart,” Akina reached out her other hand and opened it, “Or your mind?”

Winter grabbed at the side of her head with a tiny little shout of pain. “Let go!” she screamed as she stumbled to the ground, one hand over her chest and the other grabbing at the side of her head.

“Release Jack from the curse and I will release you from the pain.”

Akina could hear from Zara, the goddess rooting her Vannas on. Akina hated having to use violent actions against anyone but she couldn’t deny that once Zara ruled her people with an iron fist, metaphorically and violence was something the Magis understood. Akina would always choose a different option if she had one.

“I can’t release him,” Winter panted, each word between panting breaths or whimpers as Akina held her grip, not loosening or tightening.

“Why not?” Akina demanded.

“I knew nothing about this curse, I just took it and cast it.”

“You fool!” Akina returned and dropped her hands, releasing the hold she had on Winter’s heart and mind, “You understand if you reach out for Jack one more time, I will reach inside your mind and take one of your senses maybe, I don’t know enough about the power to really tell you the damage I could do to you. It would be like allowing a baby to perform healing techniques, do you understand?”

Winter nodded jerkily, “I won’t reach out to him again, just stay out of my body.”

Akina turned away, her shoulders drooping as soon as she was out of Winter’s view. William wrapped a gentle hand over her shoulder, “You had to do it.”

She nodded, “We need to speak to Erica again, poor women should just move back to the castle.”

William chuckled and squeezed Akina gently, “You may have a point, at least Elle is old enough to travel and play with Taylor when she’s here.”

Akina nodded, Elle was Erica’s daughter, she was about Taylor’s age and they were fast friends upon meeting each other. They headed upstairs and walked into SG1’s apartments to find Jack apparently out cold on the floor, Daniel cuddling Zada and Teal’c standing over Jack just daring the man to stand again. Taj seemed to be gone, maybe for good, or maybe the darn thing was running around the castle, Akina didn’t know if she wanted to know.

“So, who knocked him out?” Akina asked gently.

Daniel looked over at her, “No one, whatever you did to Winter transferred to Jack. He hit the ground like a brick and almost took me with him. What did you do?”

Akina winced, she had never heard of such a curse where the minds of the cursed and the controlling party were so bound, “Daniel I had no way of knowing they were connected like that. I’m sorry.”

With that Akina walked over to Jack, knelt next to him and allowed Zara to search Jack’s body and mind. It didn’t take long for the Magis to respond. _His mind is unharmed, so is his heart. He was merely startled by the pain. I have found the curse, it has wrapped its tentacles around his mind, that’s why she was so connected to him. I have a clear shot at the infection; shall I shock him and see what happens?_

Akina wanted to groan at the words of her Magis. _No Zara, we will leave this to the experts, I do not wish to be at fault for hurting Jack even more._

 _Party pooper,_ was Zara’s petulant response.

Akina opened her eyes and looked at Daniel, “He is unharmed and William is going to get Erica now, lets see what she has to say about the curse. Is Zada unharmed? And yourself?”

“None of us were harmed,” Daniel returned waspishly, “Except Jack!”

“I told you I had no way of knowing she’d done this to him, it is not something that happens to Vannas.”

“Sometimes, just sometimes, I wish we could go home,” Daniel muttered as he walked back to the bedroom with Zada in his arms and slammed the door between them.

“He is worried for O’Neill, he meant no disrespect.”

Akina smiled at Teal’c for the defensive words for his friend, “I know that, thank you. I would feel the same way if it were William. Since I am going to guess Daniel has locked the bedroom door, should we moved Jack onto the couch for comfort?” Akina asked the large man. He nodded in his resolute and calm way before lifting Jack onto the couch and bowing to Akina before the Queen and king moved to leave the room.

As the door closed on the two men, Akina sighed tiredly, “I always believed I was a magnet for trouble, being Queen but those two especially make my life look perfect and trouble free.”

William laughed, “Yes well from the way Samantha tells it, they are like that in any world.”

Akina groaned, “Why did I take them in again?”

“Because they fascinate you and you love having people around you that don’t treat you like the most powerful Vannas of our time. For some self-deprecating reason, you like the irreverence of Jack especially.”

“Right, I remember now. They are also good people and don’t deserve to be turned into science projects of prisoners.”

“Yeah that too,” William returned and they walked back downstairs, to try and salvage a normal afternoon for themselves.


	18. So Tired

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel has to clear the air about Jack's choices.

Daniel was tired, of this world and the crazy crap that always seemed to happen to them no matter where they were. He was almost choked to death by the man he’d been in love with for several years, the man he had two children with and they would have no way od knowing that Jack was really Jack until that curse was eradicated from his mind.

If it even could be done, that is.

“Daniel, I just heard, are you okay?” Sam asked as she opened the door. He knew he should have locked it but apparently he wanted to be comforted. He sat up and double checked that the twins were both still good in their bassinets which they were. Quietly playing with her toes, Zada was gurgling happily now that stressed Daddy Daniel wasn’t touching her and Zale was still napping. He’d checked Zale when he first came into the bedroom; the little boy accepted a clean diaper and smiled up at Daniel for a few seconds before he settled into sleep once more.

He moved over in the big bed and Sam came over and snuck onto the mattress and tucked her head against his shoulder, not close enough to make either uncomfortable but it was a motion born of a sibling love for each other over the last couple years. Sam just tapped her finger on his chest in an indecipherable rhythm while Daniel stayed silent and still.

Soon, as she knew he would, Daniel decided to talk. “Do you ever want to go home Sam?” he asked.

“Of course, it was home for us all. We had families and lives, goals and a pretty big calling to go through the Gate. Now ask me if I’m happy here?”

“Are you?” Daniel returned.

“Yes,” she responded easily with a sigh, “Back home I could have never acted on my feelings for Teal’c because I believe that I could never compete with his first wife, a warrior and mother in her right. I also believed that I wanted Colonel O’Neill that we were only flirting around until there would be a day when fraternization regulations wouldn’t be in our way. Mostly I just wanted to stay close to all of you, which meant all of my feelings got screwed up. I love my son so much, I love my husband and what we can do here with these people.”

“If we got to go home?”

“Then we would go, but if we couldn’t retain our relationships and team then I think we would all have to make a decision together.”

“As we are, couples now, it would be more difficult to go home,” Daniel started, rubbing at Sam’s back absently. “Jack would receive a dishonorable discharge. Our children would be science projects, they couldn’t actually leave these people because they were given those stupid Magis and Zarkina and her husband are the only ones who can help the twins as they grow up. Our new lives and the drama of the magic has just as effectively trapped us as not having the Gate to travel through.”

Sam sat up and glared down at Daniel in shock, “Are you unhappy with the twins and Jack?”

“I am unhappy with the chaos we are in for, that we cannot go a day without running into another magical problem, and if that’s not bad enough, Jack goes and finds another. He’s as bad as I am and yet I am the one at fault. I cannot take care of anyone, let alone Jack and the kids.”

“He doesn’t think that,” Sam responded, crossing her arms in anger. Daniel jerked up into a sitting position and wrapped his arms around his legs when he pulled them up to his chest.

“Sam, I have had a tumultuous relationship with Jack since the beginning, we are too different sometimes and here in this place it is even more apparent. I cannot do what must be done to protect my husband and children. This is not a place for us, we should renew our efforts to go home.”

“You don’t want to be with me?” Jack demanded from the door. Daniel frowned at the man, who was holding his head and chest pitifully. Sam excused herself quickly, slipping out of the room, claiming to have heard Jacob crying which he wasn’t. And Teal’c was with him.

“Jack,” Daniel sighed.

“No Daniel, we need to talk about this. What is going on with you?”

“You left me Jack, how am I supposed to interpret that as anything besides you not wanting to be with me or me not being enough for you!”

Jack came as sat down on the bed, holding his hand out to Daniel but the younger man ignored the hand, pacing at the side of the bed. “Daniel, I need you to understand that when I left that morning it was because I believed that I could never be enough for you, that I could never be someone other than your ‘wife’ as it were. Please understand that when I was attacked and cursed, I left the island because I didn’t know how to come home to you without hurting you or the people who protect us. I couldn’t do that to you and the twins. I need you to understand that I am blessed and grateful for your love. I love you more than I could ever love another, I love you with all my heart and I need you to understand that would still be true if we weren’t here but at home, I wouldn’t have had the strength to tell you.”

“We wouldn’t be together if we weren’t sent here?” Daniel asked for clarity.

Jack nodded sheepishly, “No Daniel, I am a military man and I would be kicked out for this if we were there which means Zada and Zale wouldn’t exist and we wouldn’t be together.”

Daniel paused in his pacing for a second before starting up again, “I know that, I really do. I guess I don’t understand how I am ‘better’ than you in any way. This is a warrior society and I don’t know how to take care of us. If you go again, how do I survive without you?”

“Danny,” Jack sighed. This time when he reached a hand out to Daniel, the scientist took it and felt the little thrill at the touch. He sat down on the other side of the bed and looked down at their joined hands which the Colonel jiggled a little as he spoke. “Look at me,” when Daniel did Jack continued. “If you need to learn more about this world, the fighting and the magic then do it. I have gone out and found I can survive alone for a time. We can make this life work, for us and for the children. Its true that with their magical creatures that we are stuck here but we can make it work. This is just a hard time, believe it or not, even at home we would have had hard times. Is what we have, between the two of us and with Zale and Zada, is it worth it?”

Daniel smiled a little, the moisture slipping down off his lashes as he scooted closer to Jack, “Of course Jack, being with you had always been more deepest desire. I love you, I’m just worried to be without you, especially now because our children will have a chaotic and nowhere near normal existence.”

Jack tucked an arm around Daniel’s shoulder gently and pulled the young man closer, “I know love, and we can figure it out. I mean you are really _really_ smart.”

Daniel laughed at that, “What? And you’re not?”

“Not as smart as you, smarty-pants.”

Daniel smiled, leaned close and kissed Jack gently on the lips. Daniel felt as Jack’s hand gripped the back of his head and pulled Daniel in for a deeper kiss. Daniel’s arms wrapped around Jack’s neck and climbed gently into Jack’s lap. Daniel didn’t plan anything really carnal, he just wanted to be close to Jack after all the time and drama of the past couple of days. Plus the babies had been asleep for a while.

As if on command, Zale started fussing then Zada followed his lead. The two dads extracted themselves from each other slowly, enjoying the closeness but Jack pulled Daniel to a stop, “I love you Daniel Jackson.”

“I love you to Colonel Jack. Now get your daughter, I want Zale.”

Jack rolled his eyes, Daniel could get whoever he wanted, he’d been a single dad for over a week and Jack would do whatever he needed to try to make up for the fear Daniel now lived with.


	19. Time Marches On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Funny Taj and Jack moments.

Jack settled into the bed, as Erica checked his mind one more time for any piece of the curse that might be holding on to him. As Daniel hoped, some of the chaos cooled down as Winter did not want to mess with Zarkina, the Magis were no longer attacking the twins and allowing them to grow normally without conflict. It had been weeks of quiet and Jack was pleased when Erica stepped away with a grin on her face.

“You are clear of the curse Colonel Jack,” she said happily.

“Did Daniel tell you to call me that?” Jack questioned.

Erica grinned, “A little bird told me about that nickname, who gave it to you?” she asked with a wink.

Jack glared at her, “That is a special name that Daniel calls me, I would love it if you didn’t say it again.”

Erica held her hands up in surrender, chuckling. “I promise, just wanted to rile you up.”

Jack got up from the bed and waved to Erica and passed Elle and Taylor who were playing next to the door as he passed. Now that he had been off the island, and had a humongous cat protector, no one bothered him anymore so this last session with Erica, he went to her healing office.

Outside the building was Taj sitting patiently for him. “Hey Taj, you want to go visit Daniel at his office and get the twins before we go see the house?”

Taj grumbled low in his throat. _Want babies, play gently._

Jack chuckled; Taj in recent weeks had fallen in love with their kids, deciding that Zale and Zada needed his protection more than Jack did sometimes. He was also incredibly gentle with them and since the little tykes were now starting to gab at them in nonsensical sounds and starting to sit up and trying to move. It seemed to soon for them but Vannas tended to learn quickly according to the Queen and Erica.

Daniel was back to teaching again but now he was teaching in the building that was attached to the arena. It was a short walk before Jack found himself at Daniel’s door, watching him answer questions and smiling at his students. Jack leaned against the door, feeling Taj nudging him in the back. Jack rolled his eyes at the tiger’s response and pushed back. Taj took the nudge and backed away from the door so the students could leave. Daniel had another two classes after this before he was done, was only keeping the twins while Jack was with Erica.

“Hey Jack, you ready for the twins?” Daniel asked as Jack walked over and leaned down for a kiss. He nodded gently into the contact.

“Where are they?” Jack asked then realized two of the girls were holding them. He smiled at the cooing and gentle words they were speaking to both of them.

“Good luck getting them back, they have stolen the hearts of my students.”

“Well they belonged to us first,” Jack griped and reached out for Zale and the young woman kissed him one last time and handed him over. Jack held his son close then shifted him to one side then took Zada and pressed her against his shoulder. He could feel their contentment, being in their Father’s arms and he kissed each of them in turn before turning back to Daniel who was smiling gently at them.

“Are you going to see the house?” Daniel asked.

Jack nodded, “They should be getting done very soon.

“Well have fun and make sure Taj doesn’t break anything. He gets so excited when he’s with the twins and I cannot keep asking the Vannas to fix our furniture.”

“Yes dear,” Jack said with a roll of his eyes.

Daniel smirked up at him even as other students started wandering into class and Jack leaned down a little to kiss Daniel once more. Daniel lifted his chin to keep his lips against Jack’s to the enthusiastic classes approval then blushing Daniel pulled away as the catcalls began. Jack placed a last kiss on Daniel’s head, “I love you Danny, come to the house when you’re done for the day.”

Daniel nodded then brought the class to order as Jack walked out to Taj who was waiting impatiently for him to arrive with the babies. Taj nuzzled each baby’s head gently before they started walking back towards the castle. Zarkina agreed to build them a place on the express condition that it was close to the castle so they settled on a site about a half a mile from the front doors of the castle by Jack’s estimation and it would be a quick run to help if they needed anything. Zarkina was also working on a ‘walkie-talkie’ system with some sort of magical addition so Jack or Daniel could contact Zarkina immediately if there was trouble.

Jack stopped at the door of the structure that was quickly becoming a reality with many helping hands. It was going to be two stories with a pretty wide base, a large living room and a great kitchen and dining area that would be big enough to feed all of SG1 as well as their kids and a few more comfortably. There were going to be two master bedrooms each with a master bathroom on opposite sides of the upstairs with two smaller rooms. The plan was for SG1 to all stay together, that’s why the place was so big and then in a little more time, Sam and Teal’c would take the plot of land right next to them and have their place built as well.

As of now the foundation and walls were done and in a few more days, the inner walls would be completed and the plumbing and power would go in next, Sam and the Vannas had found a way to marry technology with their ways of plumbing and power, to resemble what they left at home and Sam of course was enjoying the challenge of the Magis and the problems the beings had with certain electrical currents which made some power and technologies impossible to use.

Jack didn’t pretend to understand anything Sam was saying when she was babbling on about Vannas and electricity but all he cared about was the niceties of life and he was getting them so good for Sam. Zale decided he was hungry and started fussing and Jack could hear in his mind the need for some food for the boy then Zale transmitted the idea of food to his sister and she started fussing as well. Jack sighed and started walking towards the castle, as the children kept whining and wriggling Taj started growling low under his breath.

_Make cubs happy Jack. Now please!_

Jack rolled his eyes, “They are hungry, I need to get back to the castle to feed them. They are not going to die in the next couple of minutes while we walk.

_You not drop them._

“Of course I’m not going to drop my babies, knock it off Taj!”

Sometimes having a big talking tiger as a companion was really obnoxious. Taj really made up for it when he growled at would-be attackers who felt they needed to prove something by beating up Jack but when the cat was accusing him of starving his kids and dropping them, it was hard to keep himself from saying ‘get lost’ to Taj.

By the time they got to the castle doors, Zale and Zade were wailing in frustration and hunger. Taj was growling in protest under his breath and Jack was struggling to hold both children so they wouldn’t slip from his arms and prove the tiger right. Zarkina was there, seemingly appearing out of thin air and took Zada from him. Jack sighed even as Zarkina took off towards the throne room, apparently kidnapping his daughter but then she was probably taking Zada for some food, so Jack followed. The babies weren’t drinking just mother’s milk anymore but also mashed up vegetables and fruit. Zarkina sat down at one of the dining tables off to the side of the room and sure enough there were several bowls with child friendly spoons and as Jack sat down next to Zarkina and reached for a bowl she did the same and now that Jack wasn’t seconds from dropping the twins Taj settled at their feet like a huge soft puppy dog.

“You took to long to feed them huh?” Zarkina asked.

Jack smiled, “Longer than they pleased anyway.”

“Taj griping at you about it again?” Zarkina asked though it didn’t really sound like a question.

“You know how he feels about the twins, gotta protect them from everyone, including their father!” the last words were snapped in the big cat’s direction who just heaved a great sigh and ignore Jack.

“Yeah Zale and Zada definitely have him wrapped around their little fingers, do they not?”

Jack nodded, “Yeah though he still protects me but I think it has everything to do with the twins. He does keep the thugs at bay.”

“Thugs?” Zarkina asked as she started tucking small spoonful’s into Zada’s waiting mouth. His baby girl was grinning and eating even as he started in with Zale.

“Yeah those Vannas who think they should fight me to make a name, I don’t understand why they think beating me will do anything since it wouldn’t be a fair fight.”

“Actually my people are very good about sparring without magic if their opponent is unable to spar in such a fashion, same can be said for physical altercations, sometimes a person is strong in their Magis but physically cannot compete.”

Jack nodded.

“Have you accepted any sparring matches since you came back from fighting and defeating the ConjoCrea, many of my people would love to see your prowess in the field and learn from you how you took the beasts on without powers.”

“No because I just got back and if I got into a fight right now I would be kicked out of my bed by my very beloved but slightly pissed off husband.”

“Daniel must understand that you left to protect him and the children,” Zarkina responded as she replaced the empty bowl on the table and grabbed on of the bottles, leaned Zada down and started letting her drink that down as well.

“He understands but you have to understand that Daniel is incredibly sensitive and he thought I was leaving him, that I didn’t want to be with him and now because of Winter and that damn curse Daniel thinks I could leave again at any time.”

“What does that have to do with sparring?” she asked.

“I just don’t want to lose him because I immediately stepped out on him to go throw punches after I had done just that for over a week.”

“Then he did not demand you leave behind the fight?”

“No, I decided to kick back to training and no out in the field fighting, Daniel understands that I am a warrior and I have already left behind much of my self to become just a teacher.”

“You must allow your partner to see all of you otherwise you shall be forever hiding something from each other. Daniel will come to understand that the way you earn respect is on the arena of battle.”

As both babies were finishing up their last bites and bottles, Jack carried them both upstairs to rock them into sleep while he let Zarkina’s words dance across his mind and he understood without a shadow of a doubt that she was right, Daniel had a right to know every part of him otherswise this relationship and family would fold under pressure.

As the babies settled into their beds to sleep, Jack climbed into bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering how to say what he wished to say.


	20. An Understanding

Daniel knew something was up with Jack as soon as he walked into their apartment; Jack was laying on the bed staring at the ceiling. Zada was squirming on the bed next to him, pushing herself into a sitting position while Zale was sitting up in his bassinet.

“Jack what’s wrong?” Daniel asked as he picked up Zale and sat down on the bed next to his spouse.

“I talked to the queen after I picked up the twins, and we were talking about the warriors who keep trying to fight me to prove themselves because I went out and survived without powers. They are not going to stop, this is a warrior society and the only way to get them to understand is by fighting.”

Daniel frowned, “And this is upsetting you?”

Jack turned to look at Daniel, “No, I don’t want to upset you but I need to fight. They need to understand that I can protect my family and myself. This is a part of who I am and there is nothing I would keep from you. Here in this society you and Carter are strong enough mentally and important enough to be protected but Teal’c and I must fight to protect us. We must fight to prove to ourselves and them that not having powers and magic will not keep us from fighting back.”

Daniel cuddled Zale who giggled in response and he watched Jack as the older man lifted himself up and kept a hand on Zada so she wouldn’t tip over from the movement of the bed. “I understand that you will always be a soldier in your heart, maybe it would be different if we were home and you were retired and we had them but here, it would be cruel of me to not understand.”

Daniel had spent so much time thinking about this, that Jack would always be Colonel O’Neill. Nothing could take the assassin out of the man and Daniel had been selfish to believe he could do that. It was part of the reason he loved the man, it was unfair to try to make him be someone else.

Jack leaned forward at Daniel’s words and pulled Daniel into a leisurely kiss, a beautiful poem of Jack’s love for Daniel and all the young linguist could do is try to reciprocate as best he could. In the realm of physical poetry, Jack was the genius and Daniel just tried to keep up.

Zale grunted in annoyance when they were too close to each other, pressing into him in the process. Daniel grinned down at their son and felt the twins calling out in hunger. Daniel left Zale in Jack’s lap and went to grab two bottles, taking Zada and giving a bottle to Jack. Zale didn’t like that idea apparently, reaching out for Daniel with a screech so with a gentle sigh and a smile. Zale curled into Daniel’s chest and gripped the bottle in his strong hands. Pretty soon they wouldn’t need to hold the bottles for them anymore. As Zale ate, Daniel watched Jack feed Zada and looked at Jack’s silver streaked hair and those chocolate brown eyes that were focused on their son. Jack’s lean body carried no extra weight, he was strong and muscled as he had always been and the world here had somehow created a longevity and strength in all of them that they didn’t have before.

“I feel your eyes on me and you are making me hot,” Jack said quietly.

Daniel grinned, “Yeah well you feeding Zada is making me hot so it’s only fair we both be a little frustrated.”

Jack chuckled, “I guess you’re right there.”

“Keep it in your pants, we should have some privacy as soon as the house is finished,” Daniel responded.

“I can’t wait that long to ravish you, ya know!”

Daniel grinned, “Maybe.”

 

Later that night when the twins were sleeping deeply in their bassinets which now had little canopies which were closed at the moment. Jack pushed Daniel into the bed, his lips tasting Daniel’s with all the pent up passion he’d been holding back from all day. They would still have to be quiet but at least the babies couldn’t see anything.

Jack pulled away for a second, “Remind me to thank Sam for finding the seamstresses to make those canopies.”

“Maybe we should babysit for a whole day, that way her and Teal’c can have some uninterrupted time together.”

“Sounds like a good idea but for now, I have something in mind for us.”

“Oh?” Daniel questioned and Jack leaned down to take his lips again before he started pulling at clothes, ridding each other of each piece as quickly as humanly possible especially since they were so wrapped up in kissing each other. Jack finally released Daniel’s mouth and his lips and tongue caressed a path down Daniel’s chest, across his stomach and dipped into the younger man’s belly button. Daniel squirmed and he breathed out a sigh. He bit his lips with a gentle and quiet moan and Jack reached up to rub his palm across Daniel’s nipples even as his tongue lapped at the tip of Daniel’s straining erection. At the first touch, Daniel strained against the bed and stuffed the side of his fist into his mouth to muffle the sounds of his moaning. Jack grinned then took Daniel’s cock into his mouth and sucked deeply. This brought Daniel’s hips off the bed but Jack knew it was coming so he moved with his lover then held Daniel’s hips still as he worked his mouth around Daniel, sucking and licking at the thick erection. Jack’s own cock was straining, pressing into the bed in desperate need of being in contact with Daniel’s warm body. Just as Daniel released a strangled groan of Jack’s name, he pulled back and let his beautiful husband catch his breath then Jack reached out for the ever-present lube at the edge of their bed and picked up some in his hand. He reached down and rubbing the viscous fluid into Daniel’s erection then got some more and reached down between his own legs to prepare himself. Daniel didn’t get to top all that often because he loved it when Jack was in charge and inside him but Jack needed it today, more than he needed to take Danny. That would come later anyway.

When he was prepped enough he pulled Daniel up and settled himself on his hands and knees even as Daniel pushed him down and on his back, “I always want to see you Jack,” Daniel whispered and Jack’s cock hardened even more at the words. He loved looking into Daniel’s blue eyes as the only man he’d ever love took him.

Jack nodded then lifted his legs, one high enough to cradle Daniel’s hips between his own. Daniel scooted up on his knees and lined his cock up with Jack’s waiting hole and slid home quickly. It was suddenly Jack’s turn to bite his lip and force back the moans that would undoubtedly wake the babies. Jack watched as Daniel’s face lit up in ecstasy and Jack had to recount baseball stats to keep from coming at the sight. Then Daniel started to move and there was nothing to keep him from zeroing in on the sensation of his love within him.

“Come on Jack, I can’t wait very long this time. Come with me.”

The words were whispered as Daniel leaned forward into Jack’s body, pushing him deeper inside and Daniel kissed Jack as his thrust sped up and the bed rocked quietly beneath them. Then as Daniel took Jack’s cock in hand there was nothing to stop Jack from exploding, his vision whiting out as Daniel released inside of him.

Daniel waited a few seconds and slid from Jack’s body even as Jack sighed from the loss. He watched as Daniel reached down next to the bed and grabbed a damp cloth they placed there just for that reason and cleaned them both up before he threw it towards the bathroom door and curled back up next to Jack’s form even as the older man wrapped an arm around Daniel and kissed the archeologist’s temple. “Just you wait babe, this isn’t over yet.”

Daniel chuckled tiredly, “I wouldn’t have it any other way Jack.”

 


	21. One Last Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zarkina's brother is coming home.

Daniel looked around the bedroom, hoisting his old pack higher on his shoulder and wondered why he felt he was forgetting something. Maybe it was just that he wasn’t holding one of the twins who were already at the new place with Jack. They were getting the bedrooms set up and Daniel was grabbing the last minute things. Sam was with Jack and Jacob as well while Teal’c did the same in their bedroom. They met in the living room and both looked around before looking to each other.

“It is strange to leave this place Daniel Jackson,” his former Jaffa friend stated.

Daniel nodded, “Yeah, so much has happened to us here. It seems like years have passed in this apartment instead of barely one.”

Teal’c nodded in his regal barely movement kind of way before they moved towards the door, into the hallway and closed the door behind them. Zarkina and Sir William were standing near the stairs, smiling at the two friends as they walked towards her.

“As you already know, we are sad to see you leave the castle but happy as well to see you staying close by, Taylor would hate not getting to see you all as often as possible.”

Daniel smiled, leaned forward and kissed the queen gently on the cheek before they all walked down together. Various staff members and students of Daniel and Teal’c were there at the base of the steps and joined the group as the walked outside and down the main path that would lead them to their new home. Zarkina and William chatted quietly and Daniel listened to them even as we nodded to various people and answered question of where he was going.

“Adrian is coming home to stay, can you believe it?” Akina gushed excitedly.

“You have told me multiple times my love, I am happy to have your brother back home as well.”

“It’s been several years since he’s been here. I know Vane sees him sometimes but even he does not really know how well he is, we don’t know what his travels have done to him.”

“We will help him if he needs it but my love, do not borrow trouble when you are already so good at finding it,” William said and Daniel grinned in response to his words. Zarkina and Daniel had a lot in common. They both tended to bring trouble to those who loved them.

Daniel lost track of their words as he looked off the road and saw home for the first official time. The building had a wide base as Jack had already described and the brick and mortar walls were something of utter beauty to Daniel. He loved the old looking structure; the wooden door that opened easily under his hand and inside was their home, filled already with the sounds of laughter and children giggling. Daniel looked around at the deep burgundy tone of the couches and the wooden table and chairs in the dining area though around the long sides of the table was a wooden bench and two chairs at each end. The windows were tall and narrow, letting in the sun easily with artificial lighting around the room though they didn’t need the lighting with all the midday sun coming into the room.

Jack and the babies were sitting on the floor, playing with little dolls. Jack was talking in funny voices for each ‘character’ and Sam was watching with Jacob leaned back in her lap. The little boy was not as advanced as the twins were because his birthright was not of Vannas descent though he did have a little magis in him since he was born healthy several months earlier than he should have but they had not seen the proof of this yet.

Zada and Zale on the other hand continued to move faster and faster than Daniel could keep up with sometimes. They all looked up as Daniel and everyone walked into the room, “Danny come join us, I am telling the story of the Lion King to the babies.”

Daniel thought the dialogue had sounded familiar, “You could be telling them any story and you choose one from Disney?”

“Why shouldn’t I?”

Daniel shrugged, dropping his pack on the couch and dropped into a sitting position next to Jack and tickled at each child then to the enjoyment of the babies and the adults, Daniel joined in to tell the story of a young cub who was almost killed by his uncle then returned home to bring the clan back together again all with badly sung renditions of “Hakuna Matata” and many of the other songs.

When they were done the babies were curled up close to Jack and Daniel’s legs, sleeping with their fingers tucked into their mouths. Each father lifted a child, waved goodbye to their guests and took the babies upstairs for their nap. Returning downstairs Zarkina was hugging a man who had to be her brother Adrian. His face resembled the twins in many ways, his hair was black with blue streaks that looked a lot like the silver ones that Akina had and they had the same smile.

When Zarkina pulled back, she wiped some moisture from her face, “Daniel and Jack, Samantha and Teal’c this is my brother Adrian.”

“Hello Sir Adrian, its nice to finally meet you,” Daniel said and Jack nodded in agreement. Sam waved and Teal’c gave a little bow in greeting.

“Please, just Adrian. I am not bound by law to be referred to in such a way,” Adrian responded with a shy smile. Daniel wondered where he’d been all this time to see the sadness in his eyes. He knew from past conversations with Zarkina that he was several years younger than Z’Asana and Zarkina, which would make him around seventeen. He wondered why he’d been allowed to wander with no one along since he was so young but there were many things that Vannas did that humans would never do.

“Where have you been for all this time?” Zarkina demanded as she hugged him again, kissing his cheek and cuddling him close even as he rolled his eyes in annoyed acceptance.

“You know I have been traveling to many of the other Vannas clans to garner you support in case we must make a stand against ZarCorp.”

“I did not want you to stay away for so long though,” she responded.

Adrian nodded, “You know why I had to though.”

The queen nodded but the motion was sad and subdued. “I do.”

Adrian opened his eyes once more and Daniel noticed they weren’t the vivid green they’d been only second before, now they were a pale blue. They were so bright they glowed into the room and Daniel was glad they shifted back before Jack noticed anything. Even though Jack was used to living in this place he still didn’t like the ease in which many of these people used magic and shifted form and features like they did.

“So you must be the humans from the past?” Adrian asked.

“We go by Jack, Daniel, Sam and Teal’c or SG1 thanks,” Jack responded testily.

“SG1?” Adrian asked.

“It was once the designation of our unit. We worked for Stargate Command and we were the first unit to be born,” Daniel explained.

“But you no longer work for this Stargate Command,” Adrian responded in confusion.

“It’s a part of who we are, it’s how we became a family,” Daniel responded and looked to the others who nodded and smiled in response.

Adrian nodded though he didn’t really seem to understand the significance but then Daniel didn’t really expect anyone else to get it. “Well I think I need to go find my bed and sleep for a while.” The Queen nodded in understanding and she lead her brother out of the room and Daniel waved after them. Then Daniel looked around and noticed that Taj wasn’t around. “Where’s the tiger?” he asked.

“Outside, we have a fenced in area, not that he can’t jump out of anything, it’s more for the babies but Taj is enjoying the sunshine. He will come inside when he wants to, the back door is open at the moment but it’s a push door that opens on a nudge from him and will close behind him again.”

Daniel nodded, then turned to hug Jack to his side and looked to Teal’c and Sam. “We have a new home, one that we will have room to grow into.”

Jack gave a whoop and they all took turns hugging each other. The evening progressed into making dinner together in their large kitchen and feeding the kids and themselves, playing games together and just enjoying each other in their time together before they all headed off in their different directions once more. Now that Jack was heading back to training with the Queen’s protectors and Sam’s continued work, they were all getting staggered schedules so the babies would be cared for at all times. It was the one thing they had all agreed on since the beginning, that for now they could not really leave the babies with any Vannas because of the uncertainty of their place here. Daniel believed now with Jack and Teal’c willing and able to sparring with the other warriors, their place would be solidified.

It was definitely a good day.


	22. Dueling Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack's gonna fight!

Daniel sat in the arena stands with Zale and Zada on his lap, each on one thigh. Sam and Jacob were sitting next to him and he could see Jack at the center of the fighting area, waiting with Teal’c at his side. Taj was sitting on the ground next to where they were at in the stands and Daniel wanted to hear the cat’s thoughts like Jack did, so he would hear from someone who had seen Jack fight more recently that he was going to be okay.

But he would just have to have faith in his husband.

“He’ll do just fine Daniel,” Sam said as if she was reading his mind. Its possible since they had known each other for such a time, Sam had always been like a sister to him and who to know him better than family.

“I hope so because if he gets his ass kicked, I am going to tell the healers to let him heal the old fashioned way.”

Sam chuckled and shook her head, “Never thought we would say something like that, huh?” she asked.

Daniel shrugged, “I have always lived in a world of wonder, now we just happen to live in one with magic.”

Sam bumped his shoulder, “Jack seems to have found it easier since we moved out of the castle.”

“Yeah he always did like having his own space.”

“Really? He doesn’t seem to ever want to have any space between the two of you.”

Daniel rolled his eyes even as she snickered in response to her own joke. They noticed the movement in front of them when Zarkina walked out to the center with a warrior and Sir William. “Good day to all of you, on this day Jack O’Neill, born human of earth has decided to take on challenges. His second will be Teal’c of the Jaffa and earth in case Jack cannot continue. Let the first challenge begin.”

And so it began, the warrior stepped forward and announced his intent as well as the promise not to use magic against the human. The challenger threw the first punch but Jack dodged and rammed into the stomach of the other man, carrying him backwards and Jack over balanced the challenger and punched him across the face. Blood poured from the man’s nose as he fell to the ground and just like that the first challenger admitted defeat. Then the next man stepped forward and it began again. Each man tired Jack out more and more, the punches started to connect and Jack had to use a lot of tactics Daniel knew he didn’t like to use, ones that were tied to his days as an assassin.

There were injuries on both sides but Jack never backed down, and he didn’t lose. He was blood by the time the Queen called an end to the day. Daniel didn’t hear a single man’s name, he catalogued ever hit to his lover and knew that Jack was hurting even as he stood so straight at the Queen’s side. Daniel couldn’t help but be proud and when Zarkina stated, “Jack O’Neill has won against all comers in the art of magic-less hand-to-hand combat against eighteen warriors. Do you now see the genius of this man?”

The crowd screamed their agreement, which startled Zada so Daniel patted her belly gently as he sent soothing loving thoughts to her.

“We do not know how to fight the beasts without barriers and powers, we do not know how to fight humans when they figure out ways around our abilities, O’Neill can teach us the way to fight without the powers we carry. It will be another skill in the come fight. Who will fight beside and protect Jack O’Neill as if he was one of our own?”

The singular battle whoop was there and gone before the babies could be hurt or startled but they whimpered anyway. Daniel knew it was time to get them all home, this was all too much for the twins and Daniel could see even from here Jack’s desperate need to fall down and stop moving.

As the crowd dispersed, Daniel sent Taj to Jack with a little head nod and the cat listened as usual, just because Daniel couldn’t hear the cat’s thoughts didn’t mean that he wasn’t also a part of the tiger’s family. If Jack wasn’t there, Taj answered to Daniel and he never listened to anyone else except maybe the queen but then Daniel and Jack were sure that those two had a past that no one knew about.

Taj moved to let Jack lean against him but Jack stood straight even though he was clearly leaning into the Tiger, it just wasn’t clear to those who didn’t know him. Daniel and Sam climbed off the stands and they all started walking out of the arena and once Jack felt it was safe, Teal’c helped to push Jack onto Taj’s soft back and Jack sighed in relief. Daniel turned to speak to Zarkina who had been walking close by but found Adrian instead.

“Akina is sending one of the healers as soon as she gets back, she asked me to walk with you. I think she just wants me to not be alone.”

Daniel nodded, “Can you take Zale for me?” he asked and Adrian nodded though he did look unsure about the decision.

Zale wasn’t to pleased about it but he could still see Daniel so he allowed the transfer without much of a fuss. Zada on the other hand was getting wriggly because she could in her magical mind sense her father’s pain and didn’t like it. Daniel didn’t like it either, that his daughter could some how feel the pain he was in, the abilities the twins were gaining seemed to cause them more harm than good at the moment.

“Believe it or not, her Magis will teach her to regulate the emotions and sensations she feels from others,” Adrian said without any information on the subject whatsoever.

Daniel frowned at him, “Why would you say that?”

“Akina has told me of your struggles with the fact that they have Awakened Magis. I have watched my sister struggle against the power of her Magis and she made it through without much in the way of damage. The powers the twins have will be tempered by the Magis within who know the powers better than we do. Just trust that the Magis within can help her if only she is open to it.”

Daniel nodded, “Ok, so you’re not reading my mind?”

“No just your face and your emotions, I guess from what those offer me.”

“Still annoying,” Daniel muttered.

Adrian grinned, “Yes I would have to agree.”

They made it home with a few more minutes of walking and Jack was dropped gently to the couch with a blanket underneath him as a healer, who seemed to rush through the door as soon as they did, tried to get past Taj who was in protection mode.

“It’s okay Taj, they are here to help Jack.”

With one last growl, Taj moved aside and allowed the Healer room to work. Daniel moved to the kitchen cooling-unit and pulled out two jars of mashed up food and grabbed some pea-like vegetable. They were round and a dark green color but the taste was different, more like the sweet taste of carrots but the babies like them and they were soft enough that they could be chewed and swallowed without teeth, which the babies didn’t have yet. He sat down at the baby chairs to feed each one and Sam joined him to do the same with Jacob who also seemed unwilling to wait any longer for some food.

Daniel looked up from the twins when Adrian walked in and sat down close to them and watched the babies eat. “I figured you would have left by now.”

“I like it here, hardly any power in you people and its kind of peaceful.”

Jack could be heard cursing in the other room to which Daniel gave an incredulous look to the young prince. Any house with Jack O’Neill in it was not a quiet and peaceful place but then that’s one of those things that Daniel loved about him, so full of life.

“I did not mean noise peaceful, my head is peaceful.”

Daniel nodded though he didn’t understand what the other guy was going on about. He just continued to feed one baby at a time while the other one smashed the peas into his mouth. Zale seemed to like the more hands-on approach where as their little princess enjoyed being waited on for a while longer. When the food was gone and the mess was cleaned up, Daniel burped one while Adrian took it upon himself to burp Zale who seemed unsure about this but didn’t let that worry him for too long, as it was before he could see Daniel so he was safe.

When they were done, the three adults each lifted a child from their chairs and walked back into the living room where the healer was pulling away from Jack and the older man was sitting up stiffly and smiling as he accepted Zale from Adrian who moved to flop inelegantly into one of the comfy chairs. Daniel moved to sit next to Jack, leaning in to kiss Jack gently on the lips.

“I did it love, I beat them all.”

“Of course you did, the USAF trained you to kill and the Queen just wanted you to simply maim. Clearly they will stop underestimating you now.”

“We can hope,” Jack responded and kissed Daniel again before he leaned down to kiss Zale on his soft head before Daniel held Zada up to receive the same. Jack gladly gave her a kiss which resulted in a gummy grin and a little princess giggle. Jack chuckled in return which set Zale off giggling and soon the room was full of grinning adults and giggling babies.

“Well with Jack having thoroughly torn through many of the people who thought they could harm him, that should give you some peace for a while,” Adrian said.

“Of course she’s going to put me to work, training up this lazybones she calls warriors.”

Daniel nodded, “That was the deal, prove that you can handle yourself without magic and then they would now what a gift you would be to the fight. Well your alive and they are putting you back to work.”

Jack picked up Zada again and kissed her belly, snuffling her with his nose, which started to giggle once more. Daniel smiled, he loved hearing that sound and as long as it was a part of their very interesting lives for a long time then Daniel figured he could deal with the rest.

Daniel watched Adrian closely, so did Taj for that matter but the young prince really seemed to find some sort of serenity in their presence. Zarkina never came to bring her wayward brother home so Daniel figured that she knew he was there and safe with them. Or that they were safe with Adrian, either way Daniel was pleased to have the younger man among them as long as he posed no danger to the twins or anyone in the house.

His eyes never changed again to that light blue color, and he joked and told stories of the Queen and William from their growing up years, some were made for blackmail which Jack was sure to capitalize on at some point, Daniel wondered what kind of revenge might be planned for Adrian’s future when she found out all the dirt he poured out over lunch and later, dinner.

That evening, Daniel finally told Adrian that they were going up to sleep but he was more than welcome on their couch if he didn’t want to go home. He nodded and smiled, “Thank you Daniel, that is sweet and unneccasary. I should return to the castle and speak to my sister about some things, I will certainly be back tomorrow at some point, I have completely fallen in love with your twins and I have a feeling I am going to be here a lot.”

“Well then you will be much like your sister in that respect,” Jack said with a laugh from the stairs as Adrian headed for the door. “She spends far too much time with our children and my husband.”

Adrian grinned, “You do have a handsome and very sweet husband.”

Jack glared at him but was still smiling a little, “Oh don’t you start that now, I just got over the ridiculous jealousy I had to deal with the Queen.”

Adrian left laughing and Daniel shook his head, “Jack I hate to be the one to tell you but I think we just adopted a teenage boy.”

Jack groaned, “Oh god, I hope not. They are trouble.”

They shared another laugh, each grabbed a tired baby and took them upstairs to get them ready for bed. The small spare bedroom close to their bedroom was large enough to two cribs, a changing table and matching rocking chairs that someone made for Daniel and Jack as a wedding present, belated but loved anyway. They each sat down, and rocked their babies to sleep as Daniel sang a lullaby quietly under his breath even as Jack watched him in wonder. It was not the first time Daniel had done this but it seemed the reaction was the same each time. Quiet wonder.

When they each stood and deposited babies in their cribs, they closed the door behind them and walked down the hall to their bedroom. Jack closed the door behind them and pulled Daniel close to share a warm and loving kiss with Daniel. “You never cease to amaze me, did you know?”

“Oh? Well you never stop being amazing,” Daniel replied into Jack’s lips.

Jack grinned then moved over to the bedside where a small shell was sitting, Daniel watched him pick it up and listen intently to what Daniel could only assume were the sounds of their children sleeping. It was part of the system the Queen put into place so they could hear if their children needed them now that they were not in the same bedroom anymore. Daniel took his night pants into their bathroom and washed up and changed, tossing his day clothes into the hamper then he traded with Jack, who kissed him on the way past. Daniel slipped into bed and waited for Jack to join him. When the older man did, Daniel got to enjoy the visual of the man he called his walk around the other side of the bed and climb in next to him. Daniel automatically moved into his arms, tucking his head against Jack’s shoulder and felt Jack’s lips against his head.

“Jack I didn’t get to tell you earlier how proud I am of you. You did what you had to today and you stood tall next to Zarkina, in fact I would have had to guess between you which was the royal if I hadn’t already known. You are a good man and a great soldier and you even did everything in your power not to do more than knock them out which I know is hard for you.”

Jack kissed Daniel’s head one more time, “I could only do it knowing you were there, I knew you were watching and I had to do well for you.”

“You did great for us Jack.”

“I love you my beautiful Danny.”

“And I love you Colonel Jack.”


	23. Life Goes On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrian causing problems...?

Life is thankfully not always about whose getting kidnapped or cursed in the world of the Vannas and SG1. The twins and Jacob continued to grow and flourish, Jack and Teal’c were put to work training non-magical fighting and Sam and Daniel continued in their studies and teaching. Time kept moving and there was love in their new home. This love was easily shared between spouses, friends and the children.

Adrian continued to drop by frequently, started Daniel’s classes and learning from Jack. Zarkina stopped by once every couple of days to be with the babies or just to chat with Daniel. It was calm for so long, they forget what drama could look like. They forgot what the sounds of fighting and anger sounded like bouncing off the walls because there was nothing to fight about. They knew how they wanted to be, which was happy and together.

Sam and Teal’c would frequently take the twins to give Daniel and Jack a date night and they did the same by taking Jacob. Their relationships were easier then they had been in a while because of the change inherent in having children and not to mention the fact that they all still lived together. Sam and Teal’c had mentioned already that they would love to have a place of their own where Sam could set up experiments safely and they could get a little separation from the team, which for all intents and purposes no longer existed. If they were to accept the Vannas island and the time as their new home for real then each couple would need to find a way to become singular and unique. They could not remain SG1 forever despite the deep friendships that would always be there.

In the time of stillness, Akina set about to creating a home for Sam and Teal’c next door to Jack and Daniel’s home. Much like before, the time it would take to construct the home would be much quicker with magical help. Still with Sam giving in depth input it would take more time because she had precise ideas on her lab and how to keep everything safe from her little one and so there ended up being two buildings, the house smaller than Daniel and Jack’s because much of the square footage was going to be wrapped up in her lab which was making her so happy, she could be found giggling and grinning most of the time.

During this time of peace, SG1 found them celebrating surviving their first year in this time. A fact that Zarkina had made them aware of a few days before so Jack decided that it called for a little partying.

So today Jack was overseeing some cooking while Daniel got the babies ready in their formal wear for the day. At six months old, they were both siting up easily now and watched him from the bed as he dressed in some black slacks and a white shirt with a deep blue vest to go over it. Zada was wearing a dark blue dress and little slippers over the leggings she was wearing under the dress and Zale was wearing a grey shirt with little black pants and boots on his feet. Their outfits were commissioned specially, Zarkina had introduced Daniel and Jack to the seamstresses of the Vannas people and every single one had fallen all over them to help fix something up for the little ones. Daniel knew Jack was changing into a grey button up shirt and black slacks as well so Zale would match his father. Daniel was constantly reminded that Zale was not biologically Jack’s with his surrogate mother’s dark hair and Daniel’s blue eyes but in a lot of ways the attitude that was already starting to emerge reminded Daniel of his husband more than Daniel himself. Zada too it seemed took after Daddy Jack but Daniel found himself not minding all that much, it just meant that he would always have a little bit of Jack as long as his kids were around.

Just then Jack came tromping up the stairs and into their bedroom, throwing clothes around the room as he quickly changed, “People will be arriving soon Danny, are you all ready up here?”

Daniel gestured to the bed where both twins were watching Jack in what seemed like baby amusement. Jack took in their outfits and turned into a squealing teenage girl right before Daniel’s eyes. “Oh my god, you two are the cutest little bugs I ever did lay my eyes on!”

Daniel snickered, “I am so glad that you are secure in your masculinity.”

Jack leaned down and kissed each child noisily then looked up at Daniel, “Baby, I was recently screaming out an orgasm while you were filling me up so nicely, if I didn’t worry about my masculinity then, why would I now?”

Jack had a point there, last night had been one for the record books of their first year together, didn’t go to sleep but barely a couple of hours before the babies woke for ther first changing and feeding. Of course that was the reason Daniel was dragging his feet a little today but it was worth it to take Jack and be taken by home, over and over again until neither of them had anything left to give.

Daniel crooked a finger at Jack and the Colonel walked around the bed with his beautiful bare chest and Daniel pulled him close, wishing he could feel that expanse of warm skin across his chest but if he took off any clothes then they were going to miss their party. Instead he kissed Jack deeply before pushing the dazed man back to the dresser where he was putting together his clothing for the evening. Daniel picked up Zale and walked out of the room, “See you out back lover.”

“Yea sure you betcha,” Jack returned and changed quickly as Zada jabbered away at him in baby babble when out of nowhere she gestured towards him as if she wanted him to pick her up and said clear as a bell, “Dada.”

Jack froze and turned to her, “What?”

“Dada,” she said again obediently. He pulled his shirt on quickly and reached down to pick her up.

“Who is daddy’s smart girl, you are my beautiful Zada!” he said excitedly. He kissed her again before he jerked his shirt closed and buttoned it up before he ran out of the bedroom and downstairs to the back porch where Daniel was chatting with Adrian already. The young man was holding Zale and Daniel turned to take Zada and handed her off to Zarkina who apparently called dibs on their daughter.

“What did you do?” Daniel asked with a laugh as he unbuttoned Jack’s shirt and he looked down to see he’d buttoned them crookedly.

“Zada said ‘Dada’,” Jack said to Daniel even as he let his husband fix his shirt.

“What?” Daniel asked. Then again Zada said it at they both turned to look at her. This time she was looking right at Daniel when she said it another time and suddenly everyone was cheering and laughing with congratulations over such a little word but Daniel couldn’t help the tears that slid down his cheek then Jack was kissing them away before they each kissed Zada on the head and walked out to join the party. Most of the people who were here were those who around for SG1’s arrival here. The Greer family who were all beloved students as well as some of the warriors Jack taught. Damnation was there as well as all of the royal family sans Winter of course. Everyone ate and drank, talked and laughed together. Then Jack stood and looked around at the people who now shared his life as friends and family, “Thank you all for coming to eat our food and play with our babies,” people chuckled at that. “I would just like to say that you are all a welcome addition to my life, the life we live today is in no small part thanks to you all, giving us a reason to keep moving forward. Thank you for all you have done, all that we can never really repay and thank you for coming to celebrate with us our survival of the first year among Vannas and crazy humans.”

Everyone cheered and clapped, then the desserts were shared about and Daniel watched as the party wore on. As it was getting dark he decided to take the kids to bed and took Zada from Kirkan who was talking to her about fighting techniques, apparently to help her from teenage Vannas boys to which Daniel thouroughly approved. Then walked to Adrian who had somehow found Zale again. “Will you help me get them up to bed?”

The young man nodded and followed Daniel into the house and they walked up the stairs and into the first bedroom. Daniel changed Zada then traded Adrian who immediately sat down in Jack’s rocking chair with Zada and held the small bottle to her. They were still getting a little bit of milk just before bed but pretty soon that would stop. Zale was calmly staring up at Daniel as he changed the little one, his little boy easily came to Daniel and he sat down in the other rocker and immediately started singing to his son and Zada as well. He loved to hum and sing to them in the evening and it always seemed to put them to sleep faster than anything else. He put the single serving bottle of milk against Zale’s lips and the little man opened for the nipple.

It didn’t take long for the little exhausted children to fall into a deep slumber and so the two men settled their sweet bundles into their cribs and walked back out of the room, “You have a wonderful voice, you only sing for your babies?”

“And Jack when he’s with me,” Daniel corrected.

Adrian smiled, “Thank you for a rare treat, I have heard Jack say in passing that he loves you more when you are playing daddy than any other time and I can see what he means now. You are a wonderful father.”

“Thank you,” Daniel said with a smiled, cautious about Adrian after all the trouble Daniel tended to get into. It sounded like a come on but Adrian never gave any indication that he would take advantage of Daniel if left alone with him.

“Please do not worry,” Adrian said with a grin, “If I was going to grab you and kiss you, I would wait until Jack was around to see it,” he said it with a wink before he took off towards the back door again and Daniel didn’t know what to say to that at all.

He followed behind the youngster and found Jack speaking to Adrian and Jack was grinning like a chesire cat who clearly found a bird cage full of canaries. Daniel walked over and nudged his husband, “Twins are sleeping.”

Jack leaned down to kiss Daniel, not moving away from Adrian who just smiled at both of them. “Everyone is getting ready to go home, why don’t you go to bed, I know you must be tired.”

“I can wait,” Daniel said and started walking around to say his goodbyes to their guest when Zarkina pulled him aside.

“You shouldn’t worry, Adrian thinks of you both as more older brothers or possibly a father figure, he is just winding you up.”

“Why?” Daniel questioned even as he watched Adrian grab a hold of Jack in a bear hug before he pulled Daniel’s spouse along behind him around the area. It was really friendly for someone over half Jack’s age.

“Ask what Adrian’s main power is someday, we believe his constant use of said ability may have altered his personality but at the basis of who he is, he is a straight man interested in women. Also he likes younger prey not older and wiser. Which kicks you both out of the running.”

Daniel nodded, “If you think it changed him so much then how could you possibly know he was still the same really?”

“Because he hasn’t had a father or a strong male figure in his life in a very long time and the way he looks at you really when you aren’t watching him is like family. He respects your vows to each other, he just wants to be a part of your family.”

“So we did adopt a teenager,” Daniel said with a laugh.

Akina sighed, “Only as long as you feel comfortable with him, he will continue to play with you but now you know the truth of his intent so you can play right back, it is my subtle and sweet revenge for the information he told you and Jack.”

Daniel laughed at that, then leaned forward and kissed Zarkina on the cheek before waving her away. The rest of the guests wandered out and the couples with the help of Adrian cleaned up the back yard before Adrian left with a sloppy kiss to Jack’s cheek who just stared at him in confusion before Daniel returned the gesture, kissing Adrian on his forehead which sent the boy scurrying out the door in embarrassment, red cheeks and everything.

Daniel had to laugh at the response before they all closed up the back door and Taj growled his annoyance as he commanded the door open with his nose and crawled across the living room to rest in his large bed in the corner. Daniel and Jack said good night to Teal’c and Sam then went up to their bedroom, got ready and flopped into bed under the covers.

“What was with Adrian?” Jack asked. “And you?” he continued as he leaned down and kissed Daniel’s upturned lips.

“Adrian is screwing with us, trying to flirt and though he’s pretty good at it, the Queen told me not to worry, to start screwing with him in return. He sees us as family, not someone to sleep with. She said that there was no doubt, he would respect the vows we made to one another.”

Jack nodded and settled down to sleep.

“Jack?” Daniel called out.

“Yeah?”

“This calm time, its what comes before a storm right?” Daniel asked quietly.

“Yeah baby but don’t worry. No matter what happens when we will be together.”

Daniel sighed, thankful for that at least.


	24. The Eye of the Storm

Daniel woke up to pounding downstairs on the door; he leaned down and kissed Jack before leaving the bed. He grabbed a shirt and threw it on over his head as he moved down the stairs and across the living room to throw open the door, finding Adrian pressed against the frame shaking.

“Adrian, what is it?” he asked and pulled the teen inside.

“I need to talk to someone about what happened to me and it cannot be my sisters.”

“Can I get Jack?” Daniel asked unsure of what was happening here.

Adrian shook his head, “There’s no time, he won’t understand and he’ll think I am something to be feared. I will never get to be around the twins again.”

“You’re starting to scare me here Adrian and it won’t help your case especially with my children.”

“I know and I am sorry about that, let me just start.” They both sat down on the couch, leaving a little space in the center and Adrian started again. “During one of my forays into the city, I was taken captive by ZarCorp and they have since updated their cells, I couldn’t escape. They left me there alone with no food or water for several days, which may have desperately weakened a human but not a Vannas, especially one in such a strong line as the Sky line. Then about the fourth day, they dumped this beautiful girl in my room.

“She has long black hair all up in ringlets around her face. She was shaking and her eyes were bright blue, I know you have seen my eyes in such a way. I thought she was a Vannas in trouble so I moved closer to her and she attacked me, biting my neck and I felt the pull of my blood escaping and being drunk by her.”

“What?” Daniel interrupted.

“I know of the human’s stories about vampires and the problem was that this was not what she was doing, not that alone anyway. She was drinking my magic.”

“Amada?” Daniel demanded in fear and wonder, remembering the creature who stole him and told him she was going to steal his memories and life force because he didn’t have magic to drink. Of course she had done this with her hands against his chest.

“I do not know this Amada, was she the same?”

Daniel nodded.

“This woman finally was able to pull away from me and she immediately started to fix up my neck and she was apologizing the whole time. I didn’t know what to make of her, and it was then that I could feel the cold feeling sucking me under. I could feel death calling out for me but then she grabbed my face and I could feel her warmth seep into my face and into the very cells of my blood and something changed my in the transfer. I do not think it was a complete transformation but now I can drink other people’s magic for sustenance and I have a craving for it but I have learned to maintain a sense of normalcy.”

Daniel glared at his young friend, “Please for your sake, if Jack finds out, have you been drinking from our twins?”

“Oh Zara, no I would never do that to you. I came here because with less Vannas around I do not feel the call to drink but it came upon me quickly and I almost attacked someone, I figured this was the safest place for me to be until I am once more in control of my desires. I actually cannot sense the Magis within your children, when my sister convinced the Awakened Magis to withdraw, they did so otherwise I would hunger for them as well.”

“Did she tell you what made her the way she was?” Daniel asked, curiosity taking over especially since Zale and Zada were upstairs with Jack still.

“ZarCorp stole her from one of the birthing towns, took her to the city and tested her. They had somehow gotten a hold of a Magis and forced it down her throat. It killed her, then brought her back with this need for magic which for her is sated through drinking the blood of Vannas. She is a victim as I was.”

“Is there anything you can do to help her?” Daniel asked, wondering what kind of people would continue to follow this Zarranth man who clearly did so many things that were once again everything moral code of conduct not to mention against the law. ZarCorp seemed as though it was above reproach. Daniel’s need to protect and save swirled up in his mind and he wished there was some way he could find the girl and fix them both. Maybe Sam and the Vannas could come up with something.

“I do not know where she is to try, I also fear telling my sisters about this. It is hard for me to function around Akina who is too powerful, the Magis in her blood calls for me to thin it out just a little. I know she would breathe better if some of that pressure was released.”

Daniel could hear the bargaining in his young friend’s tone, “No, you cannot do that and you have to tell Zarkina, she could find a way to help you possibly.”

Adrian shook his head vigorously and Daniel soothed him with a hand on the young man’s arm, “I can barely discuss this with you!” he responded sharply.

“Look, sleep down here for a little while this morning until the house starts getting up. You can stay here till you figure out what you need to do but I know in my heart that your sister would do anything for you, give her a chance.”

Adrian shrugged, Daniel moved out of the teen’s way as he laid down and tucked a throw blanket around him before he wandered back up the stairs, tucked himself in his bed and let Jack wrap his arms around the younger man. Secrets from the Queen were not exactly the storm he was expecting but then when was Daniel ever prepared for anything that happened to them?

He was only going to get another couple hours of sleep before the twins woke them up with their early morning needs but as Jack was taking them today, he was supposed to be getting up with them to spend time before he had a whole day of classes.

Luckily Adrian had started following him to class so Daniel could keep an eye on him part of the day then he would need to sit the teenager down and have a talk with Jack about all this, but it was nice to know that the Magis were backing off and so they weren’t in danger from their newest beloved Uncle Adrian.

“Stop thinking Danny, we will talk about it during a morning part of the day,” Jack muttered as he snuggled in closer to Daniel and the scientist allowed his lover’s closeness to subdue his mind and allowed himself to sleep once more.

~~~ 

Daniel woke again to the sounds of laughter downstairs as well as baby giggles. He groaned and turned towards the cribs to find them empty. He quickly got changed and shaved, brushed his teeth and his semi long hair before he wandered downstairs and found a breakfast waiting for him and a cup of what they were referring to as coffee. The taste was a little sweeter, as if the sugar was already added, and the caffeine was the same but it had a weird name that Daniel couldn’t even remember most days.

“I love you Jack,” Daniel muttered as he sipped his first brew of the day.

Jack leaned down and kissed Daniel on the cheek, surprising the younger man. “Glad to hear though I have been bringing you coffee for years, I had no idea you were in love with me so long and how easy you were.”

“So funny I could die laughing,” Daniel returned sarcastically.

“You know it baby,” Jack replied.

Daniel rolled his eyes, “Why didn’t you wake me?” he asked.

“Because you were with Adrian, who is hanging with the twins at the moment. Is he okay?”

“We need to talk about it later, he’s not ready for his news to be known by everyone and I think he should talk to his sisters about it first.”

“Are you or the kids in danger because of this mysterious talk?” he asked Daniel, dropping the comedy clown act immediately.

“No, actually that’s why he came here, this is the safest place for him to be at the moment and we are safe because of that.”

“You’ll tell me later?” Jack asked again.

Daniel nodded, waiting for the angry demand for instant information.

“Okay, well I am going to make sure everyone is doing good,” Jack said with a shrug before he leaned down and kissed Daniel’s temple as he’s prone to do when Daniel was worried about something.

Daniel watched him go, a gentle smile across his lips, “Goodness I love that man.”

After he was done eating he walked into the living room where everyone was playing with the babies on the floor. Teal’c was preparing to leave so he was talking softly to Jacob before he shared a kiss with Sam. Daniel did the same with the twins and Jack before he walked out with the Jaffa warrior. His classroom was a part of the arena buildings so technically they were headed to the same place.

“Is Adrian Sky worried about something?” Teal’c asked.

Daniel nodded, “He shared some of his past with me and the worries that has brought up for him. I told him he could stay at our place until he feels he can speak to the Queen about his concern.”

“Well as always, Daniel Jackson you are the wise man I would seek for guidance.”

Daniel flushed and laughed, “Wow, why?”

“Daniel Jackson, as always you see too little in yourself. You see the world as a beautiful place and you only wish for the people around you to be happy and healthy, to do the right thing in your own life. It means that your advice to others is said in a completely selfless and loving manner.”

“Thank you Teal’c,” Daniel responded then moved onto a different topic. “How is the construction on the house coming along?”

“Well as you know my Samantha has given them strong opinions on how such things will be finished, they have almost completed the house because it was the smaller structure and Samantha would be able to make sure the lab was done to specifications, we should be moving into the house within twenty days.”

Daniel smiled, “Congratulations Teal’c, you excited to have your own space for the first time in who knows how long?”

“Indeed Daniel Jackson, this will be a first since I was with the mother of Ry’ac, Samantha is looking forward to having enough space to think of having another child, she has told me her hope is to be pregnant again before Jacob is one.”

Daniel looked at Teal’c in shock, Sam was thinking of having another, “Why so soon?”

“She believed that we should try to have another so we may focus on other pursuits as well as the children, if they go through the baby phase close together then we will be able to teach them at the same time and get to equal the time and energy we give to each child.”

Daniel nodded, and then wondered if Jack and he should contact Desire and Lust and do the same. It would double their children in short order but they would have the space and with Adrian and several others around, they would have they help they would need for the babies. Daniel would have to think on it more, Jack might be thoroughly pleased with Zale and Zada and leaving it at that. Daniel couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to have a large family and that all of their children would grow up together.

“I can see you are now thinking along the same logic of my beloved Samantha but I must proceed to the arena. I wish you a good day Daniel Jackson and I will leave you to it.”

Daniel nodded and headed towards the classroom, left thinking about one more child with dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes that looked up at him with utter love and happiness wouldn’t be so bad. Of course this wasn’t just their decision either, Desire and Lust had only ever agreed to one pregnancy.

Daniel shook off the thoughts as he walked into his classroom and found a few of his students there already, awaiting his arrival to go over schoolwork and so on. Daniel smiled and delved into the history of earth with happy acceptance.


	25. Like Minds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack finds out about Adrian's past.

Jack watched as Zale stumbled over to his hands and knees and started moving towards where Jack and Zada were waiting for him. Zada had easily started crawling and was now waiting for her brother to play catch up. They were always there for each other; Jack could see the protection instincts in them even now. She clapped her little hands at Zale’s movements and Jack’s excited motions. When Zale finally got the hang of the idea then he moved forward with much better momentum but was still fumbling around a little bit but he made it to Jack who scooped him up and cuddled the baby boy.

“Daddy Daniel is going to be so sorry he missed this but I bet you guys can do it again for him and he’ll never need to know the difference.”

Each baby was sitting on a leg as Jack sat on the floor and they were smiling up at him and he looked into Zale’s baby blue eyes and thought to what Sam had told him earlier, that she and Teal’c were thinking of getting pregnant within the next couple months and he wondered what it would be like to have another son or another daughter who had Daniel’s beautiful expressive blue eyes and if he wanted to go for it again.

He’d come from a big Irish family and he wanted nothing more than a big family, always had but with the death of Charlie, Jack believed that hope was dead and buried with his son but this world and Daniel rejuvenated the old Colonel in ways he never thought were possible.

Maybe when the twins were a little older they would contact their surrogate mothers and see what they had to say about this idea. He didn’t know what Daniel would think about this and if they each had one more child, they would have four all together and he didn’t want them to be so overwhelmed that they lost each other in the process.

Jack shook himself out of the thought process because right now it was just spinning round and around. He would just need to be honest with Daniel about his wishes and let them decide together what they would do. For now though he had the twins to feed and then they could go out in the backyard on the porch swing Adrian had recently helped to install and they could enjoy some sunshine which was where Taj was currently located.

Time passed at a leisurely pace for the O’Neill-Jackson house until Daniel came through the front door, with Adrian in tow. The young man stepped through the living room and called out for the twins. Daniel smiled at the boy’s enthusiasm, Adrian truly loved their children and Daniel couldn’t ask for a better friend to them.

Daniel went into the kitchen to get some coffee before he followed the sounds of the twins’ laughter into the backyard where Jack had the twins playing on the warm grass and Adrian was sitting with them, talking to them about his day. Daniel moved over to the porch swing and settled in next to Jack and handed the Colonel his cup to share the brew before taking it back after Jack took a few sips. Jack hummed in appreciation then leaned over and kissed Daniel’s head. “How was your day love?”

“Good as usual, no chaos so it was very nice.”

“Do we need to discuss what you and Adrian talked about this morning?” Jack asked.

Daniel sighed but he knew that there was nothing he could honestly hide from Jack, “Adrian do you mind staying with them for a few? Jack and I should talk about something.”

Adrian nodded but Daniel could clearly see the tension in his shoulders and the fear in his eyes. Daniel shook his head minutely, trying to tell his young friend that Jack would understand.

They walked inside and Daniel retold what Adrian told him that early morning, Jack did not enjoy the conversation.

“Why are you letting him be alone with our kids?” Jack demanded as he raced for the back door. Daniel rushed and jerked his spouse back before he leapt at their scared friend who was still in close proximity with their babies. “Dammit Danny, he could be feeding on them! They would be an easy buffet to him.”

“No Jack, he told me that he can’t even feel the magic within them, the Awakened Magis inside our children have well and truly decided to leave them alone. He stays here with us so much because without magic, we do not tempt him.”

“What happens when the powers within our children do come out? What then? Will he use them to survive with the excuse that he wasn’t prepared to deal with the cravings? You can’t seriously be okay with this Danny, those are our babies.”

Daniel gripped Jack’s shoulders and shook him, “Watch him with them for just a minute before you go out there and kick him out! Realize that he loves our children and would never do anything to hurt them.”

Jack did look out the window and watched as Adrian, who was turned away from the window. They watched as the young man settled onto his back with Zale held gently above him, flying as if he was an airplane. Daniel smiled as he watched Adrian and Zada who was lying across his chest. The baby girl was giggling as Adrian made funny noises and floated each child in turn around above him. They watched for a couple minutes before Jack turned away from the window and slid to the floor. “Again with the magic, this world has no end of the crazy.”

Daniel sighed and slipped down to kneel next to Jack, he reached out and tucked a finger under his chin and tilted Jack’s face to him. “And how will we handle each crazy thing?”

Jack smiled a weak smile, “Together?”

“Forever right?” Daniel responded.

“Together forever,” Jack returned, no question just a statement.

They would not separate Adrian from their children, not only that. They discussed his position in their lives, allowing him to say he would be a godfather to them. Teal’c and Sam were also guardians if anything was to happen to Daniel and Jack both but he needed to desperately to know they were his to love and protect even in some small way.

When they told him, Adrian stumbled over to them quickly to hug each man in turn, arms tightly wrapped around their shoulders. Jack still worried about the boy being with the babies but as the hours turned into days and so on, the Colonel had to accept that Adrian really only wanted to be with them and to play with their children and to protect them when he was needed. 


	26. Kross to Bear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrian's past comes to Daniel and Jack's home.

She watched as he left the front of the house she found him at. It helped that they shared a blood bond now, made him easy to track; it also had the side benefit of the Vannas allowing her onto the island. They believed she was a Vannas and now here she was. She watched as two men followed Adrian out, each holding a baby and she watched as her ‘child’ leaned down to kiss each one in turn. The younger of the two men grabbed Adrian in a quick hug, which turned her young creation bashful before he pushed the man gently and walked away from the house.

DK found it interesting that she did not find Adrian with his sisters, the royalty of the Vannas because they were the reason he told her for leaving her behind. She was a danger to his family and he couldn’t allow her among them.

She understood the danger she represented but she also knew that if there was anyone on the planet who could find a way to cure them both and those others who were turned in Zarranth’s need to make his own magical warriors, it was here on the island of power with the queen and her healers.

Maybe she needed to find out from the men why Adrian would leave her behind. She stepped out from the shadows and walked towards the house.

It had been several weeks by Jack’s estimation; Vannas don’t really keep time like humans once did, since Daniel told him about Adrian’s changes. He understood in hindsight that the younger man really wasn’t going to hurt their children and he had gladly taken Adrian on as a surrogate Godfather at Daniel’s request. He was glad they discussed it more than once, many times with Adrian himself but Jack also knew that Adrian was still not discussing his new circumstances with Zarkina and that worried him. If the Magis within the twins were to reawaken and Adrian was around, would his hunger overpower the need to protect those children that he loved? Adrian wasn’t working in close contact with Vannas, hiding from the need for power he now possessed which meant that he was ‘safe’ in theory but that wouldn’t last and the hunger and the need would only grow with time.

His thoughts were interrupted by Daniel’s laughter where he was laying on the floor of the living room, his head tucked into Taj’s stomach and the twins tucked around him. Taj looked like he was about ready for a run so Jack nudged Daniel’s foot and his young husband leaned off of the big tiger and Taj walked to the back door where he let himself out.

“That will help this whole process,” someone spoke up from behind Jack who couldn’t believe he hadn’t heard her move. He jumped to his feet, wishing he had a weapon in the living room somewhere as a dark haired woman walked into the room with a thin sharp looking sword and a dagger in the other hand. He looked down as Daniel got up to his knees, putting a hand on each child gently. Jack knew Daniel was trying to keep them calm as well as still. “Go and keep the creature out,” the woman commanded. Jack held his hands out in submission, god sometimes he hated this place.

“He won’t be back for a while, this is his running time,” Jack said in a low tone.

“Lock the door!” she responded.

Jack motioned for Daniel to do it, so Jack could stay between the woman and their children. Daniel took Jack’s hand as he stood, Jack could feel the tremor of fear run through his spouse. Jack squeezed his hand gently and Daniel moved quickly to the back and turned the lock that would keep the tiger from returning. He turned back and moved to stand next to Jack, just behind the Colonel who was standing stiffly staring at the woman before them. Zada didn’t like the idea of being left alone on the floor; she started to whimper and crawled closer to their legs.

“What do you want?” Jack demanded.

“I need to know why he chose you over me!” she responded which only confused Jack more so.

“What?” he asked.

Zale started whimpering as well, dragging himself closer to his fathers and sister. Each child was grabbing awkwardly at their pants and Jack could feel Daniel’s desperate need to pick them up.

The woman stepped forward and slipped the dagger close to Daniel’s neck all before Jack could react.

“Get away from him!” Jack hissed. She holstered the sword and touched Daniel’s neck; feeling something there but her confusion just worried Jack. Then she reached over and touched Jack as well. He wanted to jerk away but didn’t want the motion to cause the dagger to press any closer to Daniel. Then she pushed the blade to Daniel, forcing him to kneel down and she reached out for Zale who was closest to her and Jack gripped her wrist gently. “What are you doing?”

“Adrian stays here with you, he told me it would be dangerous for me to be here near his family and now I find him not even with his family. Why you?”

“Adrian? You know Adrian?” Daniel asked gently.

Jack still had a hold on the woman’s wrist and she tugged it away, “I changed Adrian and I needed to know why I couldn’t be here with him. I needed him to help me and he left me there, after everything that we went through together. I know I hurt him but after that, we were there for each other until he came home.”

“Adrian is the guardian for our children, that’s why he’s always here. He would do anything for them including hurt you, so please you need to get your hands away from our children!” Jack hissed at her when she continued to try to touch Zale.

“I need to know why he’s here instead of with me,” she reiterated.

When Jack started struggling to keep the woman’s hand off Zale, she switched and pressed him back with they dagger to his throat. Jack jerked back and she reached down and touched each child then stepped back. “They have powers, but it’s not accessible. He’s not hurting any of you?”

Daniel shook his head, “No like I tried to say before, he stays here because its easier for him and he just happened to fall in love with our children.”

She frowned at them, “But you would be safe from me as well, he could have helped me.” Jack watched as she moved away from them, Daniel immediately lifted Zale even as Jack held his hands out for Zada and picked her up as well. Their visitor wasn’t going to hurt them most likely but the babies wouldn’t be ignored anymore. They didn’t like strangers touching them because each twin was still capable of feeling the emotions of others through skin-to-skin contact.

“Adrian had no idea who we were, he was coming home to be with his family. The Queen still has no idea what happened to change him, only we do and the only reason is because he was having such a hard time controlling himself around his sister. You cannot go to the castle, it would be to much temptation for you as well.”

Jack watched as she deflated with Daniel’s words. He looked over at the small shell on one of the side tables and noticed the inside was flashing a dim light and figured she had about another minute before Zarkina’s people burst through the door. “You should go now while you can, Adrian is not the only royal member who protects us and our family and if they catch you here they will not react kindly.”

“What?” she shouted. She turned just as the door slammed open behind her and Adrian ran in, just ahead of Kirkan Greer and his brother Harvard. Adrian waved the brothers back as he watched the stranger.

“What are you doing here Demetria?” he demanded.

“I needed your help, I cannot live like this. I was able to get on the island and I came to find you. You told me that I would put your family in danger and you aren’t even with them!”

“Demetria, I didn’t know Jack and Daniel when I made that decision. I didn’t know that they would become my safe haven. You could have joined me here but now they are going to take time to trust you are not going to be a danger.”

“Adrian, I needed you!” she pleaded and she hadn’t pulled her weapon again. Jack understood that her ability would be damaging to Kirkan and his brother but Adrian was also standing back, and looked as though he was going to let her come to him.

“Could we possibly move this out, away from the children. If Taj realizes this is going on in here, he’s going to attack her without any warning,” Jack didn’t really want to clean up the blood and deal with the trauma from the twins and Adrian.

Adrian reached out for Demetria, “Let’s go and talk to the queen, you need to leave this house right now otherwise you will not be welcomed here.”

“You left me,” she whimpered quietly even as she gripped his hand and they started to walk out.

Adrian turned back to Daniel and Jack, “Are you alright?” they nodded, “I will return later.”

With that Adrian led Demetria out of the house and Kirkan walked inside. He reached out and touched each child, “How are you?”

Jack rolled his eyes, “Seriously, why are we so special? People always seem to be coming to us first!”

Daniel touched Jack’s shoulder gently, “She must have seen him leaving here earlier otherwise she wouldn’t have come. This wasn’t about us, it was about Adrian.”

“Jack, how many times have you been bothered in the last couple of weeks?” Kirkan asked gently and Jack did think that they had had a time of peace and he had to believe they would again. He nodded and Kirkan and Harvard both left and Daniel moved to open the back door again and Taj immediately pushed his way into the door.

_Babies hurt?_

“No Taj, the babies are just fine. Come see.”

Daniel and Jack both sat down on the couch and Taj nuzzled at both the babies before he curled down on the floor, content that his people were all alive and well. Daniel tucked himself in close to Jack, “You realize she wasn’t going to hurt us, she needed answers and I think she was jonesing for a fix.”

Jack nodded, leaning his head against Daniel’s and looked down at Zale and Zada who didn’t seem to be all that bothered by everything. Zada didn’t feel like she was scared by the proceedings but it was possible that Demetria really had no intention of hurting them, just needed answers.

“I hope they talk to Zarkina, get something figured out otherwise someday possibly soon Adrian and that girl are not going to be able to fight the cravings anymore,” Jack said.

Daniel nodded, “I think this is going to push Adrian to tell the truth to his sister, there is no more hiding this from her.”

“I hope so.”

“Do you think there are many of those people who can drink magic?” Daniel asked, Jack knew he was having flashbacks to another time and another magic drinker that tried to damage him, steal his life from him instead of magic.

Jack wrapped his arm tightly around Daniel; “I’m not going to let them get you again Danny.”

“I know,” Daniel replied softly.

“I think Adrian really would protect the twins over any other, including this Demetria person,” Jack responded.

“Yes he would, he loves them. Its pretty hard not to.”

Jack smiled and turned to kiss Daniel on the top of his head. “Yea-sure-you-betcha.”

Daniel laughed at that, “No matter what happens, was it worth it?” Daniel suddenly asked.

“What was worth it?” he asked.

“Being with me, having the twins. It seems like all we do is bring you more drama and I am curious as I sometimes am if you think after almost a year together, was it worth it?”

Jack moved the arm that was around Daniel’s shoulder to turn his head towards Jack, he leaned down and kissed Daniel gently. The passion was still there, under the surface as always but this wasn’t going anywhere. He pulled back, “Yes Danny, this is worth more than anything I had before. You are worth all the drama and more.”

Daniel smiled sweetly, “Good because I love you so much no matter how much drama we have to deal with to be together.”

Jack grinned, leaning down to kiss once more.

~~~ 

Adrian dragged DK behind him towards the castle, never releasing her even as he threw the door open and walked through the entry way and into the throne room where his sister and William were hanging out. “I have something to tell you, sister. I need to tell you what happened to me in the city.”

Everyone in the room watched as he spoke, as he kept pulling DK along with him and Akina motioned for everyone to leave the room. Just the four of them were left behind and Adrian turned, as they got close enough for him to feel the power rumbling beneath the surface of Akina’s skin. Then DK gasped and fell to her knees, “I cannot stay here with her in the room,” she screamed out.

“What is it?” Akina demanded.

“This is Demetria Kross, she was killed and changed by drinking Magis. Now she feels the need to drink power from others and she did so to me after being starved. She bit me, turned me and now I sense the power beneath the surface of each individual Vannas and I wish to drink it. She can feel the well of power within you and she wants to taste it.”

“How could you hide this from me?” Akina demanded.

Adrian swallowed convulsively, “I did it because I wanted to be your little brother for a little while longer. I needed for you to trust that I wouldn’t hurt you ever.”

“Only you might, because you are not learning to contain and control the thirst you feel. That is why you have been with Jack and Daniel all this time? They have no power so you feel no need to drink?”

“I did what I had to do to survive, for everyone to survive.”

“What about the twins?” Akina demanded.

DK and Adrian both shook their heads, “The Awakened Magis within have receded and so I cannot feel them nor do I fight the hunger when I am with them.”

“Adrian,” DK cried, tears rolling down her cheeks in fat pathways. She was tugging away from Adrian and fell to the ground to break his grip. Her knees hit the ground and almost pulled Adrian with her and she scooted away as quickly as she could.

“DK,” he whispered as he moved up close to her, “You have to breathe through the pain, the hunger. Just allow yourself the idea that this is not a hunger that can be sated and as such should not be allowed to continue. You can learn to contain and control, to accept this part of who you are now.”

DK stopped inching away then she straightened and took a deep breath. “Do you smell that? Sense that?”

Adrian quieted his mind and listened to his senses for a moment. That was when he realized that he could sense DK, with his eyes closed he knew when she shifted and moved around the room then reaching out further, he sensed the other much like them. The one who thought this ability was meant to harm, meant to kill.

“No, she’s going for Daniel!” Adrian said.

“What? Who?” Akina demanded from behind them.

“There was another, someone who was fed to me when I was trying to contain my hunger. The problems I have now are nothing compared to when I was first turned.” DK took a deep breath and it evened out and Adrian could sense that she was no longer focusing on the power in Akina and so she wasn’t feeling the desperate need to drink from his older sister. “Her name now is Amada, she is here.”

Adrian turned to Akina, “We can fight her, but she could hurt Daniel and Jack.”

“Can you guarantee the safety of my people against this woman you brought before me?” Akina demanded.

Adrian nodded, “Against one of our own we cannot harm one another, I will keep her from others and we will learn the way to control this needless hunger.”

“Go and protect my brother Daniel and Jack, protect your precious twins.”

They ran out the way they came in, Adrian hoped they wouldn’t be too late but sensing they would be.


	27. Here We Go Again

Daniel was coming downstairs, Jack still in the babies room putting Zada down for bed. It was a little early but Jack said that he had plans for Daniel and they needed some extra evening without babies.

He wandered into the kitchen to check on the dinner he’d been preparing when someone touched him and he lost himself in the darkness.

When he woke again, Daniel found himself in a strangely familiar surrounding. The dark and damp cave made him feel like he’d been transported back in time and then he turned to see that maybe he had. “Amada? What happened to you? What are you doing here?”

“I came to retrieve you, it took me some time to find a way onto the island once more. I was sent away because your lover found you but they sent me away with magical guards. They were easy pickings but one of them had teleportation abilities so we were off the island when I finally found my chance.”

“I told you then and I will say it again, I love Jack and I do not belong to you.”

Amada moving close to him, Daniel couldn’t help but flash to half a year before when she had him last time. He struggled against her, trying to hold her hand away from his chest but this time she went for his head, digging her nails into his scalp and pressing her palm into his forehead. He could already feel the devastating pull of her power and wondered what sort of damage she was capable now after all this time.

The pain wasn’t in his heart but his head, he tried to jerk away but she was sucking his energy to fight away first.

“Jack,” he whimpered from the ache in his head. He could feel the headache building from the center of his head and gathering around the edge and pushing down into his neck until he started to black out from the pain.

“Your Jack is going to realize you are gone but he cannot leave the children you two have decided to have. He’ll be trapped by your need to tie him to you, he cannot search for you the magical way, he will have to find help and that gives me precious time to make you forget who he ever was. If you don’t know him then you will have no reason to leave with him. I was not able to focus on memory before but now I can. I have been practicing.”

Daniel didn’t know if he was losing memories yet, he didn’t think he was. He still had time for Jack to come for him. But this time when he fainted from the pain, he knew she didn’t release him and let him recuperate. Amada was going to keep damaging his mind until Jack was no longer among the memories he cherished.

In his mind, his dreams he and Jack were lying on the grass together, They must have been on earth because it was a park that was near the mountain base, Jack had his head in Daniel’s lap and he was slowly rubbing his fingers through Jack’s crew cut.

“You can’t let her win, Danny. Keep thinking of me like last time. Remember you fought her off, you held onto the love we share. Just keep thinking of all the times we were together even before we knew we loved each other.”

Daniel thought back to a moment in time when he’d wished so much that he could tell Jack how he felt, “Do you remember when you got the Ancients knowledge downloaded into your brain?”

“My head still aches sometimes when I think of it.”

“I remember when it was just you and me, when you were having such a hard time communicating anymore and how scared and frustrated you were and most of that time all I wanted to do was hold you in my arms and tell you that you would never be alone. I would always be with you and that I would always love you no matter what language you spoke in.”

Jack smiled, “You know nothing good could have come from that honesty, right?”

“Of course, I know what your career means to you and I would have never put you into that circumstance, I just wanted you to know that nothing ever mattered more than you.”

“Your wrong Danny, something mattered more than me. That was you.”

Daniel smiled, leaning down to kiss Jack when suddenly an unnatural darkness rolled over the park and Jack disappeared from his lap. “Jack, Noooooo!” Daniel screamed and it sucked him back to consciousness.

He reached out and flailed around, pushing away from the hand that was still on his forehead but he didn’t have the strength to buck her off. He thought about Jack, about holding Zale and Zada today when Demetria walked into their home. He focused on the safe way Jack held him close and the words they shared. He recalled the beauty of their children and the love he always felt when they had time to make love. He remember the last time they were alone together and the way Daniel had moved on top of Jack and the way Jack mumbled and groaned from the way their bodies melded together and the way they spoke poetry and love songs without ever uttering a word.

Daniel just kept playing his memories on a loop, trying to ignore the pain as Amada pushed down even harder on his forehead. Even with the good memories playing through his mind, he couldn’t stop the scream of pain.

The thoughts were getting dimmer; he was losing the battle to save his memories. Soon he wasn’t playing the loop anymore. He was trying to recall the day, and why he was here under someone else’s hand. He wondered where the pain was coming from.

“Daniel!” someone shouted and the hand disappeared from his head. He was left with the overwhelming relief as his head felt like it had suddenly been released from a vice. He tried to sit up to see who had called his name but he couldn’t find the energy.

He could hear the grunts and sounds of punches landing. He hoped whoever was here was winning so he could get back to Jack and the rest of SG1, his family.

His heart clenched in his chest, something was missing and he didn’t know what. He also didn’t know why he couldn’t seem to move, must have something to do with the hand that had been holding him down not but a minute before.

“Come on Daniel, we have to go,” someone shouted even as the fighting sounds continued. He looked at the young man and the black hair hanging over his green eyes.

“Do you know Jack, are you taking me to him?” Daniel asked as he struggled to stand with the help of the young man who was frowning at him now.

“I am taking you home to Jack,” he finally responded.

Daniel nodded but the motion was jerky, within a second his savior grabbed the other girl who was standing over Daniel’s attacker with a grin on her face and then they were somewhere else.

Daniel stumbled away from his protectors and luckily there was a couch in the house where they landed. He looked around just in time to see Jack run down the stairs and he ran across the room to land on the couch next to Daniel. He frowned up at his friend and pulled away as Jack reached out to cup his cheek gently. Daniel didn’t really have the strength to pull away but he frowned up at the Colonel, “Jack what’s going on? Where are we?”

“What? Danny, are you messing with me right now? I was so worried when I came downstairs and you were gone.”

“We live here? We’re not on a mission?” Daniel wondered.

“Oh Zara!” his rescuer whispered.

“What is going on Adrian?” Jack demanded. Daniel was starting to freak out again, he didn’t understand what was wrong with Jack, what he thought was wrong with him.

“Her hand was on his head, I think she learned how to focus her energy and stole some of his memories.”

Daniel watched as Jack’s face fell and he could have sworn he saw Jack’s eyes tear up a little, “What? He doesn’t remember us? Zale and Zada?” the last words were asked of Daniel directly. Daniel could feel the pull on his heartstrings but he didn’t know why.

“Jack, you look hurt? Tell me what I did and I’ll fix it.”

Adrian chuckled a little and Jack turned to glare harshly at the young man, “Sorry, I just don’t think its all gone Jack. Would old Daniel, before you came to this place say that?”

Jack smirked a little and settled back against the couch, “Danny I need to tell you something that you might not believe at first.”

Daniel nodded, still utterly confused but just glad to be next to Jack.

“Do you remember when you stayed behind on the mother ship, and you made me leave you behind?”

Daniel nodded, “I hated that moment, watching you walk away but I couldn’t let you die.”

“Why?” Jack demanded.

“Because you are my best friend,” Daniel responded quietly even as his heart denied the truth within, the truth he could never speak.

“No, why is it that we were always called to one another? You save my life and I always had to save yours. Why?”

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” Daniel was getting annoyed, especially since he couldn’t seem to wrap his arms around himself or move away from Jack, even as he wished he could move closer.

“I need you to understand that we are on earth right now, but not in our time anymore. We got stuck here about a year ago and we have no way back, too many variables and not enough power.”

“What?”

“Yup, babe we are not in Kansas anymore.”

“Babe?” Daniel squeaked in shock, he could feel his belly warm at the thought of what the easy slip of the tongue could mean.

Jack flinched, “Sorry, I need to know why you were willing to die just to get me to leave. To make sure I survive. Why was that more important than your survival?”

“Because I care about you,” Daniel mumbled and he could feel his heart thundering in his chest.

“The same way you care about Sam? Or Teal’c?”

Daniel shook his head.

“How is it different?” Jack cajoled, reached over and placing a warm hand on Daniel’s shoulder. The contact seemed to fill Daniel with energy and the power to move returned to him a little at a time. He focused on Jack.

“Because I care more than I should,” Daniel admitted as though the words were ripped from his heart and forced into sound. Once they were out though he could never take them back.

“You don’t have to worry about the words, about taking them back,” Jack responded and Daniel frowned, wondering if he spoke the words out loud. “It’s okay Danny I just known you so well.”

“The words have never been said,” Daniel responded.

Jack reached out and held Daniel’s left hand up for him to see and he noticed the small silver band around his ring finger and Jack held up his own left hand and Daniel saw the same band.

“The words have been said, I love you Danny and I’m not afraid of it at all.”

Daniel could feel the trembling in his limbs, feel the tears trapped on his lids as they tried to slip down his cheek, “I said the words?”

“Whenever possible,” Jack said with a grin.

“Jack O’Neill I have loved you since our first year together. I have wanted you for even longer. We’ve had a life together here?” Daniel whispered.

Jack smiled, “I’ll help you remember my love but first, what happened with Amada?” he asked, turning to Adrian.

“She was killed in the struggle with DK, she cannot hurt you anymore.”

“Well that’s good to hear at least,” Jack said.

Daniel nodded but never took his eyes off Jack, who loved him. They were together? They were married? He needed to know the answers, he needed to know how much time he was missing and if there was a possibility of getting them back.

“Well it’s late. DK and I need to see the queen again, give her an update and I will send a message to Erica, get her to come see to the damage Amada had done. There may be a way to get the memories back, if not there are more memories to make. Maybe he should meet Zale and Zada?”

Daniel watched as Jack nodded and then the Colonel helped Daniel to his shaky feet and they walked together across the room and up the stairs. They came to a door and Jack paused, “Don’t freak out on me okay?”

Daniel nodded but he figured Jack didn’t take him too seriously since this situation was a perfect time to freak out. Jack opened the door and they walked into a nursery where Jack led Daniel closer to one crib and they both looked down at a sleeping baby boy. Daniel knew him on sight, “Zale? My son, our son?”

“You remember?” Jack asked excitedly.

“I think my heart remembers and reminded my head, its different with you. I loved you before we got together so the memories she took couldn’t remove the feelings but it also is instinctive with him, he’s my son.”

“Danny, I am just glad you realize who he is to you. Do you remember everything about the Awakened Magis?”

“What’s that again?” Daniel asked, confused about Jack making up words.

“We’ll talk about it later, so you know who he is but not necessarily his history.”

Jack moved Daniel to the other crib and it wasn’t immediate this time, he reached down and touched the little girl, “Zada?” he asked, matching the extra name to the child.

“It’s not the same is it?” Jack asked sadly.

“No, I’m sorry Jack, so sorry baby girl,” he whispered the words to each person in turn.

Jack squeezed Daniel in comfort, “Zale and you have a genetic link to one another, Zada is my genetic daughter so it wouldn’t be the same. We’ll get you all caught up I promise.”

Daniel nodded, “Maybe you should show me our bedroom? It might help.”

Jack chuckled quietly at that, “Okay.”

Daniel allowed his husband, so weird to think of Jack that way, to move him towards the next bedroom where Jack helped Daniel get into some bed clothes and they both climbed into bed together. Daniel didn’t have the energy to even wrap his arms around the older man but Jack seemed to understand his need and did it for him. They fell asleep that way, happy to be together again, even if it meant Daniel would never remember the first year of their lives together as a couple.


	28. Happily Remembered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel fighting for his memories.

Jack woke to a familiar sound, Zale and Zada moving and whimpering in their cribs. Daniel was shifting in his sleep next to Jack and woke up with that funny little confused expression that was equal parts adorable and saddening since it meant that Daniel still didn’t remember anything. Jack didn’t want to lie to himself at least; he was hoping a good night sleep might jog something.

“Can I get Zale?” Daniel mumbled as he turned over to look at Jack who was giving his young amnesiac husband a confused but happy smile.

“Of course, whatever you are comfortable with, and I hate to do this but I am actually on duty in the arena and you were supposed to have the kids this morning. I think Adrian was going to come over but I can cancel my sparring for the day until you can at least piece together some of the past year together.”

“No, you should go and let me get reacquainted,” Daniel assured his love. “Will Adrian know who the healer is and who shouldn’t be coming into the house?” Daniel asked. Jack felt stupid suddenly; Daniel had no idea who friend or foe was at the moment.

“I think Sam has the day off, she was supposed to be working in her new workshop but she can come over for a little while as well.”

“Sam and Teal’c are here?” Daniel asked, surprised he hadn’t seen them yet.

“Yes, they were moving into their new house next door last night and yesterday. It didn’t even occur to me that they had no idea about everything. I’ll go get them after we get the twins started on their day.”

Daniel nodded and slipped from the bed, shuffling a little stiffly but Jack left him alone to make the trek to the bathroom and then out the door. Jack followed closely so he could show Daniel where the diapers are then where the baby food was downstairs. Daniel moved so easily from one baby activity to the next that Jack wondered what Amada had done because somewhere inside his young husband, he remembered being a father.

And that made Jack love Daniel all the more.

When Jack was getting ready to leave, Daniel was holding Zada and talking to her quietly as Zale sat next to them. He was conversing with their daughter and filling in her answers as he always did before today, this Daddy Daniel was no different. He didn’t realize his actions were the same but he just wanted to get to know his daughter and nothing was going to stop him from doing so.

Jack walked quickly across the back yard and into the neighboring yard and knocked on the back door. Sam opened it with Jacob in her arms, “Hey Sam I need your help. Is Teal’c still here?”

“Yes,” she turned and called out to her Jaffa husband and the trio followed Jack back into his home.

“You have to understand, Daniel doesn’t remember the past year, he knows that we are married and that the twins belong to us but he doesn’t remember anything about our time here. He will remember Sam and if she could stay with him then he wouldn’t accidently invite someone into our home that maybe doesn’t need to be here. Adrian should be coming by later but he doesn’t remember the kid either, he needs someone familiar.”

“Of course,” Sam replied and they all walked inside to find Daniel on the couch, with a twin on each thigh and he talked to them both.

“Jack, we have two beautiful children,” Daniel said with a smile then he looked up and grinned at Sam and Teal’c. “I am so happy to see you guys, I am going to guess the little guy is yours?”

Sam nodded, “This is Jacob, he is good friends with Zale and Zada of course.”

“Nice to meet him, sorry I don’t remember.”

Sam shrugged, “Glad once again that you are here to be sorry instead of the alternative.”

Daniel shrugged in return and as Sam sat down and started chattering with Daniel over some science project, Jack was assured that his lover and family would be safe while he was working. Teal’c would be leaving later as well but Sam and Adrian would have the rest of the day under control.

Jack leaned down over Daniel, “I love you,” he whispered gently into Daniel’s ear. The younger man blushed prettily and turned his head to accept Jack’s kiss. Then Jack walked out the door, he couldn’t deal with the sadness of what Daniel had lost. Everything they went through to be together in the beginning and their decision to marry then to have the twins, Jack hoped the memories weren’t gone for good because Daniel shouldn’t be punished to have finally found love and a family only to lose the memory of that family.

~~~

Daniel easily fell into conversation with Sam, learning about some things that had happened during the past year. She talked about how they got together and how the four of them were sort of forced into accepting their feelings for each other then the challenges they faced which made the problems they would have had at home seem trivial at best.

“So someone who had the power to unblock our emotions for each other basically got us laid?” Daniel asked, confused and enjoying Sam’s blushing cheeks over the discussion at hand.

“Love, as she was called showed us how we felt towards one another but the others; Lust and Desire used their powers to weaken our defenses against the love and elevated our desires.”

Daniel stared at Teal’c as he said those words, “Huh?” he asked with a laugh.

“Desire and Lust made us horny,” Sam said quietly and sheepishly.

“I don’t understand if we’ve only been here in this time for about a year, how are these children so much older than they should be?” Daniel asked, Jack told him earlier that the ‘twins’ as they called Zada and Zale were about three months old but they were also quite a bit ahead of schedule for baby stuff as far as Daniel knew.

“From what the queen has told us, the Vannas have faster pregnancies because the fetus grows at a slightly accelerated rate and their abilities are slightly quicker than human because of the magic they have.”

“And Jacob has powers? I understand Zada and Zale have magical mammas so that makes sense but Jacob is yours with Teal’c right?”

“That is correct Daniel Jackson. It would appear that when babies are conceived without magic present, they sometimes adopt magic that has no host.”

“Fascinating,” Daniel said with a smile.

“Indeed,” Teal’c responded and Daniel grinned even more.

“Do you guys enjoy your lives here?” he asked suddenly, wondering what they had to give up by deciding to stay in this time.

Sam smiled, “I miss home Daniel, please don’t think otherwise but I get my own place, my own workspace, and a lot of minions who come to me to learn what I did at home. They do the same thing with you.”

“They do?” Daniel asked shocked his information of long dead societies would have done anything for a warrior society.

“You have offered the Vannas to learn more about the planet they now call home and you are teaching a few languages to a bunch of students, something that humans and Vannas both have no access to because the information died and no one was there to pass it on anymore.”

“Wow, I am doing what I basically always wanted to do. I love to go on digs but so much of that was because it was the only place I felt closer to my parents, learning about societies and passing on the knowledge was always my first love.”

“Hey is anyone home?” someone called from the door and Daniel turned to watch Adrian walk into the house. Sam smiled and waved hello before the young man sat down across from Daniel and looked at him. Daniel didn’t know what to do so he just returned the semi awkward stare. “How are you Daniel?”

“I believe you are sufficiently cared for, Daniel Jackson and I must leave for training in the arena,” Teal’c spoke before Daniel could answer and he nodded to his Jaffa friend. Teal’c leaned down closed to Jacob to kiss the baby gently on the head then kissed Sam on the lips, whispered something to her then left the house only to run into another woman at the door.

She wore her red-gold hair loose around her shoulders and Daniel got a sense of knowing who she was but had no memories to back up the claim. “Adrian?” he asked the younger man feeling suddenly very unsure about living in this place without any information.

“Daniel, this is Erica Trinity one of the royal healers. She has been working with you and your team as well as the babies since they were conceived and since you came to be with the Vannas people. She is a beloved friend of the Sky family and is trustworthy for you.”

Daniel nodded and watched as Erica walked towards them, she dropped a lightweight bag from her should onto the end of the couch, touching each twin gently before she focused on Daniel. “I have heard that Amada has returned to do more damage, she really liked you did she not?”

Daniel shrugged, “I don’t know what you mean.”

Erica frowned, “Wow, that is some memory loss for sure. Lets see what I can see,” Erica replied them placed her palm on Daniel’s forehead. His arms and hands wanted to fall loose but with Zale still in his embrace, he couldn’t fight the desperate need not to release his hold on Zale. Finally Adrian took Zale and held each twin like Daniel had been doing earlier. 

Daniel slipped into a dark quiet place and he could feel Erica in his mind, like a gently lapping of the waves against the shore. He wondered how she did that but figured it came from working with people her whole life and it never occurred to him that she wasn’t using any equipment. He tried to blank his mind; using some of the techniques Teal’c had taught him in meditation. 

“Daniel, Amada was feeding on your natural energy in this case the energy that is created in remembrances of your life. I think like any injury, this may be reversible but its going to take time. I think your friends need to let you remember on your own as much as possible so I will pass the message along to the Queen and your students. Jack and your friends will also need to stop filling in the blanks and to let the fog just slip away in time.”

Daniel nodded against Erica’s hand but she didn’t release him, “Erica?” he questioned.

“Wait, I can give you something, its been protected by your bond.”

“Bond?” Daniel mumbled the word in question.

There was no answer, just a mental click as something reopened and Daniel inhaled sharply. He saw the twins being born, and all they had gone through with the kids, sometimes when Jack wasn’t there and Daniel knew there was a story there for a future talk but he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the twins were his and he had the memories to back that up. He also had the information about their Awakened Magis and with that, some of the information he’d learned about the Vannas was released as well. It was more than he could have ever truly hope for him, it was good to know more about his children. “Zada Rea, born of Jack and Desire, Rea is Desire’s real name because we wanted her to be represented in her daughter despite the fact that she had Zada for us. Zale Charles is my son with Lust, Charles for Jack’s Charlie. They were born within moments of each other, it’s why we call them twins even though they aren’t genetically of the same parents.”

Erica laughed as she pulled away from Daniel’s head, “Great, proof that you are going to be just fine in time.”

Daniel smiled and turned to Adrian who was still holding the twins. “Zada my baby girl,” he crooned and took the little girl to hug and nuzzle her gently, smelling her baby smell and listening to her happy mumbling. With a joyful laugh, Daniel hugged Erica who accepted the contact for a few moments before pulling away and looking at Adrian that clearly said she was speaking to him silently. Then she spoke again, “I do not know if you are aware but Taj, the super tiger is sitting outside looking incredibly sad.”

Daniel frowned, “Huh?”

“Your pet, I am guessing that Jack asked him to stay out for a while so you wouldn’t be freaked by the fact that you have a pet that’s bigger than a horse.”

Daniel frowned at Adrian, “What?”

Adrian handed Zale to Daniel as well; Sam picked Jacob up from the floor. Daniel wondered why until Adrian walked through to the back of the house and opened a back door. Daniel would have stood and tried to run at the first sight of Taj who was about the size of a small horse, the tiger’s withers about chest height but he couldn’t move to quickly with the twins on his lap. Taj walked into the large living room, which suddenly made a little more sense. They would need floor space to have a ‘pet’ like that. The tiger walked over and leaned down to nuzzle Daniel’s face gently, then did the same with the twins who responded with happy giggling, proving that they had done this many times.

“The twins are loved very much by their protector Taj,” Adrian said with a grin. Sam hadn’t acted as though Taj would be a danger, more like if he bumped Jacob the baby would have been crying and possibly hurt so she was playing it safe. Daniel took his cue from the others, moving Zale closer to his chest so he could rub at one soft ear close to him and the babies. Taj’s chest rumbled in delighted pleasure at the contact.

“This is weird, its not like humans were friends with tigers in our time, why is he here?” Daniel wondered aloud.

“Taj and Jack bonded during his adventure off the island a while back and Taj came home with him and adopted your family. That’s the way Jack tells it.”

Daniel nodded, Jack liked pets and was always trying to get dogs for everyone who came to live on earth including Teal’c once upon a time, it wouldn’t be hard to see Jack falling for this big cat and deciding it would be the perfect pet because it was pretty self sufficient.

He wondered when Jack was going to be home, he wanted to let his husband know that there was hope for his memories and that he knew that Zada and Zale were their children. Daniel knew that this life was worth remembering and continuing with Jack and the twins.


	29. Nearing the End

Jack walked through the front door of home, finding Daniel in the living room rocking Zada in his arms readying her for bedtime as Adrian sat with a drowsy Zale in his arms. Sam wasn’t there so he assumed Daniel felt safe enough with Adrian and surprising he found Taj lying in his corner.

“You invited Taj back in?” he asked as he leaned down to kiss Daniel gently.

“Adrian brought him in, I can’t believe you convinced me we should have that big of a pet.”

Jack laughed at Daniel’s incredulous expression, “Actually you were pretty odd about it but since Taj followed me home and he’s really good with the twins and keeps random people from attacking me outside the arena, you accepted his presence.”

“People were attacking you?” Daniel demanded.

Adrian shushed Daniel, “By the way, Erica said you should keep the information to a minimum and let Daniel remember on his own.”

Jack smiled cheekily, “You’re going to remember?”

Daniel smiled in return and it was one of those hundred-watt smiles that made Jack feel like putty. He wanted to pull Daniel to his feet and kiss the younger man so completely he would remember the passion they shared, and the love that was never ending. “Erica, she came and looked into my mind. She said the drain on my mind and my memory is like any other wound, that it would heal and I would remember things in time.”

“Adrian, isn’t it time for you to go home?” Jack asked not-to-subtly.

The young raven-haired man snickered before he took Zale up to his bed, Daniel followed with Zada in his arms. Jack decided the safest place to talk for now was on the couch where the most trouble they would get into was some uncomfortable making out. Adrian waved on his way out, “Be careful with Daniel, he still does not know many things about the last year of your lives.”

“You don’t have to tell me to be careful with my beloved husband,” Jack griped, hoping he was right.

Adrian gave him a look that said he didn’t completely believe Jack but then the Colonel kind of felt the same way. Daniel needed to be protected but they could very well go through Daniel’s memories out of sequence, bringing up old arguments but not the resolution, he would have to be aware of his actions towards Daniel and if they were truly best for the young linguist.

“What was that?” Daniel asked as he came down the stairs and settled on the couch next to Jack. They both turned towards the other and Jack waited. “Erica released some memories that were protected from the damage that this Amada did to me. She released the memories pertaining to Zada and Zale, I know about their Awakened Magis and much of their lives so far, I remember some parts but not others, like when I was alone with them but I have no idea where you were or even if it was you I was missing, I just filled that in because we’re together.”

“Well apparently, I am supposed to let you come to it our your own.”

Daniel scooted gently across the couch and slipped a leg over Jack’s lap. Jack held perfectly still, hoping not to waylay this line of thinking but at the same time wondering if this was good for Danny. “I do remember one thing but I am sure it wasn’t supposed to come through yet. It’s an irrefutable truth in my mind though and I wanted to talk to you before I said anything to anyone else.”

“You going to tell me?” Jack said as Daniel teased closer to Jack’s lips but didn’t make contact, though his movement on Jack’s lap was causing his body to sit up and say howdy to the proceedings.

“I want to know what it was like, I want to feel you inside me once more. I don’t want to wait to feel that again and you are going to give it to me, otherwise I am not going to tell you.”

Jack smiled and his head and heart were in rapid agreement that he wanted this and Daniel wanted this so there was no stopping it. Jack pushed Daniel to stand up in front of him the moved to stand himself, only to drag Daniel up the stairs and into their bedroom. Screw keeping his hands to himself!

Daniel moved to sit on the side of the bed, kicking off his shoes and Jack got to him, leaning down to take Daniel’s lips in a beautiful and passionate kiss. Each of them fumbled with clothes, stripping between grinning kisses and hard embraces. Then Daniel was laid out before him on the bed, their bed that he made for Daniel as a wedding present. He grabbed the tube of lube from the nightstand and leaned down between Daniel’s outspread legs. Jack’s lips, tongue and hands followed a path from Daniel’s chest then across his stomach and down between his legs. Jack slid some of the lube between his fingers and warmed the liquid before he leaned down and spread his tongue against the tip of Daniel’s straining erection. He leaned back a little and blew cool air onto the tip, which made Daniel hips jump off the bed, and his hands grip the sheets.

“Easy lover,” Jack said as he massaged Daniel’s thighs with one of his hands and continued to suck on his cock even as he fingers slowly breached the passage where he would soon be buried in heaven. Thankfully Daniel’s body seemed to remember the movements even if his brain didn’t, he writhed continually and Jack had to place his free hand across Daniel’s lower abdomen to hold the younger man still. Jack used plenty of lube as he spread his lover’s channel first with one then two fingers then the third before turning and crooking his fingers and finding that bundle of nerves which made Daniel scream behind a hastily grabbed pillow but amazingly he didn’t orgasm. Jack spread some more of the slippery lube across his straining flesh, slipped his digits out of Daniel then pressed into Daniel’s hole and groaned as his forehead settled against Daniel’s chest.

“Oh God Jack, please, please move.”

Jack knew how and when to take an order and he did this time with enthusiasm. Jack thrust back into Daniel, the movement slow and steady until Daniel grunted his demands of ‘more’ and ‘faster’ and he easily complied.

Jack knew as always that Daniel’s words revved him up that he was going to have to speed up the journey for Daniel so he reached down and took Daniel’s erection into his hand and started pumping, matching pace with his body as it continued to move in and out of the willing body of the man he loved and just as he was going to orgasm, Daniel stiffened into Jack’s body and erupted between them, making their chests and stomach sticky and Jack followed with a low throated groan as he leaned down to take Daniel’s lips in another soul shattering kiss.

Jack slipped from Daniel’s body slowly and collapsed in a sticky mess against Daniel’s side even as the younger man leaned across him and settled his head on Jack’s chest to listen to the older man’s heart.

“What were you going to tell me?” Jack asked after some quiet time had passed and suddenly reminded him why they had done this in the first place.

“That I remembered something that I had been thinking a few hours before I was kidnapped.”

“You remember the kidnapping?” Jack asked, worried that it had led to this need for lovemaking.

Daniel shook his head slowly back and forth on the pillow, “No, I remembered something I was going to ask you when we had the chance.”

“And that was?” Jack asked with a grin.

Daniel turned on his side gingerly, just from the discomfort of being well-loved but Jack winced in sympathy anyway. Daniel grinned and touched Jack’s cheek, “I want to have another baby and soon. We can watch them grow and I am sure even if our new baby were born with Awakened Magis we know the signs and the possibility. Lets contact Desire and Lust and see if they would be willing to help us out one more time.”

Jack grinned, “You want to know something funny?”

“Of course,” Daniel responded.

“I was recently thinking the same thing, Sam and Teal’c are going to try to get pregnant, and we could too.”

“Of course we will have decisions to make about who will carry whose baby and if we just want to have one more instead of two.”

“I guess we will indeed have to talk about it,” Jack responded then leaned into Daniel to kiss him one more time before he tugged Daniel to his feet and pulled him towards the bathroom where he started the bath water, Daniel would appreciate the soothing effects of the water and Jack just wanted to hold his younger husband and enjoy that they were still together and thinking of a future no matter what was going on.

“We don’t know if we’ll be able to contact them immediately, I guess we can just simulate the act of getting pregnant a little longer?” Daniel asked even as they slipped into the warm water and Jack laughed.

“Sounds like a plan, my love.”

Daniel’s ‘first’ night continued for several more rounds that night, some against walls, other in the bath and in the shower as well before they ended up back in bed clean once more and curled up against the either, each thinking of the other’s future child, not realizing this was going to be an interesting series of conversations.


	30. Family Afterword

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New babies and time past.

_2 years later_

Daniel had been right about one thing, it had been an interesting series of conversations and the only way Jack and Daniel figured it was fair was to both try again with Desire and Lust without the help of fertility spells and altered body chemistry for highest chance of conception. They switched surrogates this time around, handed over some DNA after a wonderful evening of retrieving the goods and a couple weeks passed before both Desire and Lust showed up with the good news, that they were both expecting.

Jack had almost fainted at the fact they were going to definitely have two more children but Daniel just laughed at his mate and pointed out that Adrian and DK had become permanent fixtures in their home, the queen had even built an extension on the house just for them. Daniel assured Jack that they could do this and if both babies carried to term then this was the way it was supposed to be.

Now as he touched his twin girls, he knew that they were supposed to happen and five children were bound to make them all insane but Daniel would never dream of not having these little girls now that they were here. They were named for the smartest and strongest women Daniel and Jack knew; Claire Samantha named for his mother and Sam and the other was Janet Catherine who was both important to Daniel and Jack. These little girls would carry the names; know the legacy of the women left in the past. It was the best Daniel could do since they could never be here, except Sam who thought their need to give her name to Claire was too much but she never really said no.

And Jack, well he was holding his brand new son; Jonathan Hammond who had the beautiful blonde hair and chocolate eyes like his daddy. Daniel was so glad Zale had prepared him for the possibility of holding his biological son now, to finally release Charlie from his regret filled heart. With this new family and life, there was no room for regret, only love for a lost child and sadness that he couldn’t be with them.

Zale and Zada were toddling around their legs; Daniel smiled as he reached down to touch each curly head in turn before returning his attention to the twins. These three had not been born the same day but they were actually several days between them. Desire had gone into labor and had a tough time so by the time Erica was able to get Claire and Janet out safely, Lust finally went into labor and Erica’s husband Alec had come in to help with the second delivery.

Of course Teal’c and Sam were close by as they always were, celebrating the new Jackson-O’Neill’s successful delivery even as they held their newest twins that Sam gave birth to less than three weeks before. As Jacob was a dedication to Sam’s past, Teal’c and Sam decided on Jaffa names for these two, naming their little boy Haikon and the baby girl Ishtar.

Daniel knew that all of SG1 were done creating the next generation of their team as they now had more kids than any of them really planned on but looking forward, teaching and helping Zarkina to fight the war she was in the middle of looked like a pretty good future as long as Jack was always beside Daniel and they were always given the chance to save each other.

“Forever in time, right Danny?” Jack asked, referencing the words etched into their mating marks and Daniel tilted his head to look at Jack as he rocked Johnny in his arms.

“Forever, no matter what they throw at us,” Daniel returned before he turned back to his daughters. They were in for some interesting adventures.


End file.
